Mass stabbing in Covent Garden leaves four people seriously hurt

A woman has been arrested after four men were stabbed in Covent Garden in central London, the Metropolitan Police said. The men were rushed to a hospital major trauma centre after the attack on Endell Street just before 12.30pm. The stabbing was mental health-related according to police, and it is understood a pair of scissors were recovered at the scene. The woman, who is aged 47, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault and remains in custody, the force said. The BBC reports that two of the four men have already been released from hospital. Photos have emerged which show a woman being arrested and confronted at the scene by police officers. Arjan Gjorga, who manages a fish and chip shop in Endell Street, said he witnessed a woman “stabbing random people” who were “just walking by”. Mr Gjorga explained: “She just started stabbing random people. “We saw this lady after a few minutes being arrested – the police responded immediately.” Matt Bishop, who works at a consultancy firm in Covent Garden, said in the aftermath of the attack he saw a woman in a “stand-off” with three police officers and waving a weapon around. He said he didn’t see the stabbing but saw a woman “running down the road towards the crossroads”, adding: “There was a bit of a stand-off with three police officers. “She didn’t seem to be particularly coherent. She was pretty incoherent in what she was shouting, the officer was asking what language she was shouting.” Eyewitnesses Lottie and Ben saw a man being assessed by ambulance staff, as they walked down a street near where the attack occurred. Lottie told Sky News: “We saw a few tactical vans. We heard commotion… we didn’t know what was going on. “It was a little bit scary.” Angel Daden told the BBC she was in a spin class at the Oasis Sports Centre in Covent Garden when somebody came in and informed her “people are being stabbed outside”. Ms Daden added when she went outside to have a “quick look” she saw a bandaged person heading into an ambulance. The woman being confronted by police in Covent Garden (Photo: SWNS) Two of the four men stabbed on Endell Street have been released from hospital already, says the BBC (Photo: PA) A large cordon has been put up which covers the scene and surrounding areas, including the St Mungo’s homeless centre on the street, where officers were seen speaking to people before they entered the building. Chief superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in the area, said he would “like to reassure the community” that the force currently believes the stabbings were an “isolated, mental-health related incident”. He added: “A visible police presence will remain in the area while evidence is gathered at the scene and we thank the public for their understanding.” An ambulance crew and London’s Air Ambulance were among the emergency services who rushed to the scene. London Ambulance Service said in a statement: “We treated four patients at the scene and took them all to a major trauma centre as a priority by road.” Restaurants adjacent to the cordon towards Long Acre are continuing to operate. London’s Air Ambulance was seen landing in Trafalgar Square following reports of the stabbing, the BBC reports. Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference number CAD3449/05AUG.