Teenage victim of Hainault sword attack named, as tributes pour in
1 May 2024, 13:24 | Updated: 1 May 2024, 13:29
The teenage victim of a samurai sword attack in Hainault, north-east London, has been named as Daniel Anjorin.
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Daniel, 14, was stabbed to death by a man who also injured four people, two of them police officers.
A 36-year-old suspect is currently in custody after the attack. Police were at the scene 12 minutes after the violence started, and the attacker was disarmed after 22 minutes.
Daniel went to Bancroft's School, a private school also attended by Grace O'Malley-Kumar, one of the victims of the Nottingham killings.
Today, the school's flag is flying at half mast today after the tragedy. Ms O'Malley-Kumar's parents have offered support to the schoolboy's family.
'We were on the ground in 12 minutes' says Sir Mark Rowley
Daniel's mother is a science teacher at a separate school, Holy Family Catholic School in Waltham Forest.
The school said in a message to parents and carers: "It is with great sadness that I share with you the news of the death of the child of one of our staff members.
“Mrs Anjorin’s son was taken from this life suddenly this morning on his way to school.
“Please keep Mrs Anjorin, her husband and their other children in your prayers. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to Daniel at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.
"I know that the thoughts of the whole House are with the people of Hainault in east London following yesterday’s appalling attack," he told MPs.
“Such violence has no place on our streets. It is absolutely heart-breaking that a teenage boy has died and I can’t imagine what his family are going through, and we send them our heartfelt condolences and offer our very best wishes to all those injured.
“I would just like to reiterate my thanks to the police and other emergency first responders for embodying the highest standards of public service under such awful circumstances.”
Both officers injured in the attack were seriously hurt, Met police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told LBC.
The male inspector suffered serious hand injuries and a female officer came close to her hand being removed, Sir Mark said.
"The surgeon spent many hours basically putting her arm back together. It's going to be a long journey of recovery." He said that the female officer was "not a million miles away" from losing her hand.
"I mean, really serious, horrific injuries," he added.
