Knife horror cop: Instinct took over
A HERO policeman stabbed as he tackled a suspected terrorist on New Year’s Eve has humbly said he was just acting on instinct.
Sergeant Lee Valentine was one of three people injured in the attack at Victoria Station in Manchester.
He was treated in hospital for a shoulder wound and a man and woman, both in their 50s, are still being treated for injuries that were described as serious but not life-threatening.
They were stabbed by a man wielding two knives not far from the Manchester Arena – where Islamist suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 in May 2017.
Sgt Valentine was on patrol at the station with three British Transport Police colleagues, who helped him detain the attacker.
Recovering at home yesterday, he said: “The past 48 hours have been overwhelming. My team and I are grateful to everyone who sent messages of support.
“We had no idea what we were running towards when we heard the screams on New Year’s Eve. When we saw the man wielding a knife, instinct took over and we were able to, in company with officers from Metrolink, successfully detain the male.”
BTP Chief Constable Paul Crowther hailed the officers’ bravery, saying they had prevented a major tragedy.
And he said Sgt Valentine was “very lucky”, adding: “He’s got a nasty injury but he could have been much worse. He
ON OFFICERS’ COURAGE
feels it was a team effort and everybody was in this together. He got injured in the way he did but I think it’s a mark of the man that he wants to emphasise the efforts of all of his team and I think they did a brilliant job together.”
Sgt Valentine and his colleagues used Tasers and pepper spray to bring the attacker down before pinning him to the ground. The suspect was shouting “Allah” and “Long live the Caliphate”.
Mr Crowther added: “They averted a tragedy of a far greater scale than was the case, as significant and bad as it was.
“What’s clear to me, having talked to them, is how humble they are and how concerned they are about the wellbeing of the two individuals assaulted. I think they probably underestimate precisely what they did and how brave they were.”
Greater Manchester Police arrested a man of 25 from Cheetham Hill, in the north of the city, who has since been held under the Mental Health Act. His family, believed to be from Somalia, said in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those seriously injured, their families and friends.
“We are also grateful for the swift response from the emergency services and the comfort given to those affected.
“We are acutely aware that many, including within the media, may well have many questions to ask us. However, we have been informed by GMP there is an active terrorist investigation and we are limited in what we can say.”
A search of the family’s home was completed yesterday.
Police believe the attacker was acting alone on New Year’s Eve but want to know if anyone had encouraged or aided him in the run-up to his strike.
GMP said: “Detectives are increasingly confident the man acted alone in the final stages of the attack.
“The investigation will continue and will examine if anybody may have encouraged or assisted the man to commit the attack.”
They probably underestimate precisely what they did and how brave they were BTP CHIEF CONSTABLE PAUL CROWTHER