Emergency services were called to Midhurst Gardens at around 5pm on Monday following reports of multiple stabbings. A 49-year-old man, who was walking his dog, was treated at the scene but later died. A 45-year-old man sustained life-changing injuries, while a 14-year-old boy was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police said the incident is not being treated as terrorism, and detectives are investigating the relationship between the suspect and the victims.
Footage posted online appears to show the suspect walking down a residential street before officers confront him, shouting “drop the knife” and “get on the floor.” A Taser was deployed, and the man was restrained and arrested at the scene.
According to neighbours, the suspect had been living as a lodger in the home of the injured 45-year-old man for about six months. Witnesses reported a violent confrontation that spilled into the street, where the 49-year-old dog walker attempted to intervene and was fatally attacked.
One resident told the Daily Mail:
“A local man who was with his dog tried to stop it. There was blood everywhere. Paramedics were there for at least half an hour trying to save his life. It was absolute carnage.”
Another neighbour, who later placed flowers near the scene, described the incident as “awful and sickening.”
Police confirmed that the suspect is an Afghan national, adding that he did not arrive in the UK on a small boat. The disclosure follows new National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) guidance issued this summer, allowing officers to reveal ethnicity in high-profile or sensitive cases to combat misinformation online.
Chief Superintendent Jill Horsfall called the attack a “shocking and senseless act of violence” and urged witnesses to come forward.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time,” she said. “There will be a significant police presence in the area for several days to reassure residents as detectives piece together the events.”
Police have asked anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference 5129/27OCT, or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
