Shortly before 7 am on Tuesday, residents described hearing “desperate screams” and the sound of a van crashing into one of the homes in Thurlow Gardens.
Five people – including two police officers – were hospitalised during the “terrifying incident” after witnesses recalled seeing a man “running around with a samurai sword”.
The moment a suspect was tasered and arrested has been captured by a doorbell camera after four people were injured and a 14-year-old boy died in a machete attack.
Footage shows a man in a yellow hoodie raising a sword at police before a taser is fired at him and he collapses to the ground.
Multiple officers proceed to handcuff the man and he is led away from a driveway to a police car.
The suspect was filmed walking through several housing estates in Hainault, north London, over the course of the 22-minute attack while being pursued and eventually confronted by Redbridge police.
Police later confirmed a teenager who had been among the five people hospitalized had died.
Thoughts and prayers for the schoolboy have been given by the Home Secretary, the Mayor of London, and Buckingham Palace.
King praises emergency services
A spokesman for the King said: “His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected – in particular, the family of the young victim who has lost his life – and he salutes the courage of the emergency services who helped contain the situation.”
The four other victims remain hospitalised with “significant” but non life-threatening injuries, according to Stuart Bell, the Met chief superintendent.
At a press conference in Hainault, the force said the suspect also remains in hospital and is yet to be interviewed following the arrest.
Louisa Rolfe, assistant commissioner, said: “The 36-year-old man arrested at the scene is currently in hospital having suffered injuries when his van collided with a building.
“He has been arrested on suspicion of murder. At this time, given his injuries, we have been unable to interview him.”
