Terror as man slashes his throat in city street
He dies after stabbing himself as bystanders look on
A MAN died after cutting his own throat in front of terrified shoppers and office workers in the centre of Scotland’s biggest city yesterday.
Panic and confusion broke out in Glasgow after a man was reportedly seen running around brandishing two knives.
He is said to have stopped in the city’s busy West Nile Street, where he ‘calmly’ slit his own throat in front of the Handmade Burger Company restaurant before being pepper-sprayed by police.
The street was placed under lockdown as large numbers of officers, many wearing stab-proof vests, moved in to seal off the area and move the public to safety.
The man, who was said to be in his forties, was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary but died around three hours later.
Police were later seen pulling a mobile phone out of a drain. The road nearby was left stained with a large amount of blood.
Officers say the man ‘inflicted serious injuries’ on himself in the incident around 4pm after an assault in nearby St Vincent Street.
Witness Dale Connal said that he saw a passer-by try to intervene after he noticed the man cutting his own throat.
Mr Connal said: ‘He tried to stop him but the man with the knife started attacking him. The man who had been trying to help ran across the road into the Handmade Burger Company. The guy with the knife followed him and stood looking in the window while he slashed his own throat. People were screaming, there was blood everywhere, it was horrific.’
Another witness said: ‘We saw this middle-aged man quite calmly and deliberately cutting his own throat. We think it was a Stanley knife.
‘I can’t unsee the way he put the knife to his neck and started slashing. It was terrifying.’
Last night, police refused to comment on the ‘assault’ which took place moments before the man cut his throat, but stressed the incident was not terrorrelated. A spokesman said: ‘An assault took place in St Vincent Street, Glasgow.
‘The suspect made his way on foot towards West Nile Street where he then inflicted serious injuries upon himself.’
He added: ‘This was a contained and isolated incident. Inquiries continue – however there are no other persons sought in relation to the incident.’