Police deny claims Hainault sword rampage suspect was released 24 hours earlier
EXCLUSIVE: A witness claims that less than 24 hours earlier he had seen the alleged killer wielding two knives, but this has been denied by the Met.
CCTV shows 'attacker' in Hainault tasered by police
The man, who only gave his name as Jefferson, told this website: “I counted what happened yesterday, that was right outside my house. He came out screaming guys ‘help me’.
“I was in my house, looking out the window - that was in Copperfield - 30 minutes later he got arrested.”
Copperfield is approximately 0.3 miles from Thurlow Gardens, where a 14-year-old boy was knifed to death.
James Fernando, 39, a military coordinator who claimed he witnessed today's terrifying attack, told the Express outside the police cordon that the suspect was apprehended by officers between 2pm and 4pm on Monday, April 29 - a matter of hours before the fatal attack at 7am the following morning.
He added that officers arrested the suspect around two miles from where the incident around Hainault Station occurred.
He said: “He was arrested on Broadmead Estate. I was told by other residents who saw out the window that he had two knives with him.”
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, Louisa Rolfe, who leads on Frontline Policing, has said there is no trace of a prior incident involving the alleged attacker.
Asst Commissioner Rolfe said detectives have yet to interview the suspect due to injuries he sustained.
She told reporters the alleged attacker was injured when his van collided with the building.
Giving a statement in Hainault, Asst Commissioner Rolfe 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.
"Our thoughts of course remain with the family and friends of the 14-year-old boy who very sadly died here this morning.
"We're also thinking of the two members of the public who were injured, as well as brave officers who were stabbed."