4 women stabbed at Sainsbury’s by knifeman on bail
A KNIFEMAN who attacked four women outside a supermarket yesterday had been released on bail just hours earlier.
He was allowed out less than 24 hours before the rampage, after being charged with attacking a policeman.
The suspect – named by sources as Ethem Aydin Orhan – is alleged to have had a knife on him when he was arrested in High Street Kensington, west London, after the incident involving the officer. The subsequent unprovoked stabbing spree next to a Sainsbury’s store left one 62-year-old woman fighting for her life last night. The three others suffered severe wounds in the attacks. The knife- man targeted his first victim outside the supermarket before moving on to another area of the car park used by shoppers.
There, the three others – including a mother and daughter – were knifed as they got out of their car to do their shopping in upmarket Hampton, west London, yesterday morning. The man was arrested at the scene.
Terrified shoppers described their shock at the attacks, which took place in an area that ‘has a community feel’ and is ‘normally very quiet’. One witness described the scene as ‘horrific’ and said she saw the victims lying on the floor bleeding.
She told ITV London: ‘There was an elderly lady just lying down beside the police station. I tried to help, she had the police there and paramedics.
‘Completely unprovoked’
I could see this poor lady with blood coming out of all different parts of her body.’
The first victim remained in a critical condition last night. The conditions of the other three, aged 71, 67 and 53, are not thought to be life-threatening.
A member of staff at a nearby pub said the knifeman ‘appeared to be out of it, on drugs or crazy’, and was only targeting women.
‘The man ran through and started attacking them. It didn’t seem like they knew him. It was completely unprovoked,’ the woman, who did not want to be named, said.
Vicky Turner, a care worker for the elderly, said she saw the suspect kneeling on the floor in handcuffs, with his head held down by police. She said that she often saw him on the bus.
‘He seemed really quiet. He was just looking around,’ the 41-year-old said. ‘He’s white but tanned. His hair is quite short. He looks like he is in his fifties.’
The council-owned car park backs on to a pub, youth centre, children’s hospice and school.
Ben Brady, who owns a nearby beauty salon, said he witnessed three of the victims crying out for help.
The 30-year- old father said: ‘As I walked over to the car park I heard a loud scream and as I ran over, I saw two women. I think they were mother and daughter.
‘They were screaming “we were just getting out of our car – he’s stabbed us.” Again there was a lot of blood but, by then, police were there and paramedics.’
He added: ‘It’s usually such a quiet area. It’s a community-based area. There are always lots of children and families. And there’s a retirement centre here too.’
Local beautician Jane Gibson, 41, said: ‘We arrived and saw this man getting arrested. I didn’t know at the time what was going on. I just saw this Asian guy with a beard surrounded by police.’
Richmond-upon-Thames Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Glenn Tunstall, said: ‘I would like to praise members of the public who rushed to the aid of the injured women and provided them with first-aid.’
A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and last night remained in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.