Victims in Edmonton may have been targeted because they were ‘alone and vulnerable’

The victims of a spate of stabbings in north London may have been targeted at random because they were “alone and vulnerable”, police have said.

Four people were attacked in the Edmonton area between 7.02pm on Saturday and 9.43am on Sunday, and two remain in a critical condition. Police believe a male suspect, who may have mental health problems, was acting alone.

Acting DCI Stuart Smillie from the Metropolitan police said: “Police are treating the four stabbing-related incidents as potentially linked. The four victims are all from different backgrounds and appear to have been selected at random due to them being alone and vulnerable. There is nothing to suggest this incident is terror-related.”

A man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm at 10.53am on Sunday and police said they were working to establish if he was behind the stabbings.

A second man in his 40s was later arrested at a residential address in Edmonton on suspicion of GBH and taken into custody at a north London police station, the Met said.

Smillie added: “We are working on the hypothesis that the single male suspect is acting alone and mental health issues may be a factor. All of the people he has targeted have been walking alone and he has approached from behind without warning.

“Members of the public who have information about this suspect or have spotted someone acting suspiciously are advised to call police on 999 and not to approach the man.”

The first victim, a 45-year-old woman, was stabbed in the back. She remains in a critical condition in hospital. The second victim, a man, has injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening.

The third victim, a 23-year-old man, is in a critical condition. The fourth person was also stabbed in the back and police said his injuries were not life-threatening, but were potentially life-changing.

Smillie said the suspect’s description had been circulated to all officers in the area. “A picture of this suspect will be circulated as soon as one is retrieved,” he said. “My advice to the public in the area where these incidents took place – stay vigilant, beware of your surroundings and call 999 if you see anyone matching the suspect’s description behaving suspiciously.”

Police were also investigating a shooting on Sunday morning in Walthamstow, north east London, about three miles from Edmonton. Officers were called to the incident at about 2:50am and a 22-year-old man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Scotland Yard confirmed no arrests had been made.