Female officer attacked by sword-wielding suspect 'could have nearly lost her arm' but should make a full recovery with 'years of physio', Met Police chief Mark Rowley reveals

A female police officer came close to losing her hand in yesterday's sword attack in Hainault but should be able to make a full recovery after 'years of physio', Sir Mark Rowley revealed today. 

The Met chief said a male officer was left with severe injuries to his hand following the apparently random rampage. A 14-year-old boy was killed and two other people suffered serious injuries. 

The 36-year-old suspect had rammed his van into a house near Hainault Tube station in Iford, east London, before slashing members of the public and police officers who responded to terrified 999 calls for help. 

Sir Mark told LBC today: 'The first thing you have to say is for the parents involved, who've lost their 14-year-old, and that is just horrific, and it's everyone's worst nightmare. I'm sure we're all thinking about them.

'We were on the ground in 12 minutes, and he was detained after 22 minutes. Obviously some of the first contacts led to officers being very severely injured.'

He said one male officer has serious injuries to his hand, while a female colleague was in surgery for several hours yesterday after suffering 'horrifically serious' wounds to her arm.

'People say officers run towards danger. What you've actually seen on some of the videos that are sort of around social media and on news sites such as your own, you actually see what that really looks like. You've got officers running towards someone who's waving a sword,' Sir Mark said.

He said the surgeon is 'increasingly optimistic' the female officer could make a full recovery but could take years of care and physio. 

Chilling CCTV footage captured the knifeman prowling the streets of the London suburb before setting upon innocent passers-by during a 22-minute ordeal.

The teenage victim – who neighbours said was the youngest of three from a respected, church-going family – was rushed to hospital, where he was later declared dead.

Door camera footage showed the dramatic moment the suspect was finally arrested on a driveway of a semi-detached house after being Tasered by a female officer. Armed officers arrived on the scene seconds later.

The suspect had earlier reportedly been heard screaming 'Does anyone here believe in God?' at emergency service workers.

A neighbour yesterday paid tribute to the schoolboy victim, telling the Mail: 'He is a nice, quiet boy. He does not play out, but stays at home. His family are very nice, respectable. They go to church and go out together as a family.'

It was reported last night that the boy went to private school and was wearing his sports clothes at the time of the stabbing. Police said yesterday they did not believe the attack was 'targeted' or terror-related.

Residents described how they saw a man in a yellow hoodie top 'covered in blood' outside their homes yesterday morning. James Fernando, 39, said the man had asked a woman to speak to someone on his phone but she fled when she realised she was in danger.

Mr Fernando said: 'Within two seconds after that she realised something wasn't right, started running and he pulled a samurai sword from the back of his trousers. She shouted to the other neighbour – a Nigerian boy who was on his way to school.

'As he turned around, he struck him on the face. It was quite traumatising now. I can't stop envisioning the boy's face. [The suspect] was running around, still after the police officers came, with the sword in his hand.'

Security worker David Maguire, 38, said he was travelling to Hainault Tube station when he saw a man 'holding his neck [with] blood coming out his fingers'.

He told The Times: 'There were so many people running towards the station trying to get away from danger. No one knew what was going on.'

A woman who lives across the road from where the attack happened said she saw a man leaving a house covered in blood as police arrived. Gana Ignat said: 'I saw something happen outside and heard screams. I didn't understand what had happened and thought it was a child.

'My daughter came into my room and said 'Mum, Mum something is happening outside'.

'I went outside and the police shouted, 'No, no please go back in your house'.

'I went back into the house and I saw through the window a man in a yellow hoodie running quickly through the car park outside, through a garden and past another house.

'I saw the man running away and after that I don't know, I saw all the police and a helicopter.' Another neighbour described hearing a 'terrified scream' and shouting before watching police cordon off a nearby road. Police urged residents to lock their doors as they chased the suspect through a network of alleys and gardens.

Officers could be heard yelling, 'Come this way' and 'Drop the sword' at the suspect, who clambered over garages and through gardens to escape.

Two police officers suffered stab injuries before the knifeman was cornered and Tasered. Officers rushed towards him and could be heard shouting 'he's down,' and 'get the sword,' before one policeman screamed at his colleagues: 'Cuff him, cuff him!'

The man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. But last night detectives were still waiting to question him as he was treated in hospital for injuries he suffered when he crashed the van into a house.

Two police officers require surgery for serious stab injuries. Two members of the public remain in hospital but their injuries are not life-threatening.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe yesterday dismissed a rumour that the suspect had been arrested the day before for carrying a knife but had been released.

She told a Press conference that police could find no trace of contact with the suspect in the days leading up to the attack despite 'urgent and extensive checks'. She added: 'We will continue to make these inquiries.'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the attack as 'shocking', adding: 'Such violence has no place on our streets'.

King Charles last night 'saluted' the courage of the police officers called to the scene.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The King has asked to be kept fully informed as details of the incident become clearer.

'His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected – in particular, the family of the young victim.'