Home / Local news / Girl, 11, and woman, 34, stabbed in central London

Girl, 11, and woman, 34, stabbed in central London


Objects could be seen on the ground at the scene next to the Lego store in Leicester Square

An 11-year-old girl and 34-year-old woman have been stabbed in London’s Leicester Square.

In a post on X, the Met Police said a man had been arrested and taken into custody, adding the force did not believe there were “any outstanding suspects”.

The Met said the girl would require hospital treatment but her injuries were not life threatening, while the woman’s injuries were “more minor”. The force said there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related “at this stage”.

A shop worker who helped stop the stabbing told the BBC he had heard “a scream”, so he “jumped on the attacker… and kicked the knife away from him”.

Police officers remain at the scene, which is in one of the busiest tourist districts in the capital.

Abdullah, 29, who works at TWG tea in Leicester Square, said he intervened to stop the attacker who had blood on his face and chest.

“I heard a scream and I just went outside and saw one guy had a knife,” he explained.

“The moment I saw it I just jumped on that guy and grabbed his hand… and put him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.”

He said a couple of other men also came over to help and held the man down for “four to five” minutes, adding he decided to take action because “I had no time, I just didn’t think”.

“It’s horrible to be honest; I’ve never seen anything like that before,” he said.

“To do this to a kid, it’s horrible.”

Abdullah, 29, who works at TWG tea by the scene, said he intervened to stop the attacker

Shortly after the attack, several police officers were still at the scene next to the Lego store on Swiss Court, just off the square itself.

Objects including a green lighter, black cap and bloodied napkins could be seen on the ground behind crime scene tape, with a small crowd of people gathered in the distance.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said paramedics were called at 11:36 BST to reports of a stabbing.

They said: “We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic and an incident response officer. We also dispatched members of our tactical response unit.

“We treated a child and an adult at the scene and took them to a major trauma centre.”