Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING...
HORROR IN THE PARK: MANY STABBED IN RAMPAGE
AT least three people were feared dead and up to nine others were injured last night when a knifeman wreaked carnage in a park in a suspected terror attck.
Witnesses told of a man “racing around” in what they thought was a game.
Then they saw blood spurting and people dropping to the ground at the park in Reading, Berks.
A man was in custody last night and at least two of the injured were in a critical condition.
One witness, 26-year-old local named Dan, saw the commotion 20 yards away.
He said: “They were just in a circle chatting. I thought they were playing duck duck goose – he was tapping them on the head. Then I thought someone had been sick. But it was blood spraying out.” To his horror Dan realised the group were being attacked. He and his two friends sprang up and began running as they saw the attacker move toward another group. Dan said the man took a blow to a woman’s neck. The woman “dropped like a weight,” he said.
He added: “I think six to eight people were stabbed, with four people who dropped to the ground and were immobile. I saw a man with his face bleeding but stood up.
“When the first two were stabbed the group stood up, and two of the people who dropped to the ground were stood up.”
Grim footage posted on Twitter showed police and medics helping victims – pumping the chest of at least two as they lay bloodied on the grass. One appeared to have been stabbed in the head.
Another had at least one wound to his
This had nothing to do with the peaceful BLM rally earlier
NIEEMA HASSAN BLM DEMO ORGANISER
My thoughts are with everyone involved, as well as police and services
PRITI PATEL HOME SECRETARY ON TWITTER
stomach. A source said: “A man pulled a knife and started attacking people at random. Three people are believed to have died. The attacker has surrendered to police, who were quickly on the scene.
“The area has been locked down as there are concerns there could be a second suspect.
“It appears the attack was stopped when a lone sergeant , who responded when the alarm was raised, ran to the scene, saw the attacker running away with a knife and rugby tackled him to the ground.”
Witness Lawrence Wort wrote on Twitter: “Around 7pm four people got stabbed in Forbury Gardens, three very seriously. The three were sat in a large group just drinking beers when a guy randomly attacked them.”
Amid the chaos and confusion there were reports of a manhunt involving a police helicopter – a source said police are investigating whether the attack could be terror related. It is understood 12 people were attacked. Sources said three were declared dead at the scene and two were having emergency treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
The horror broke out as people enjoyed the evening sunshine at a favourite gathering point for socially distanced groups during lockdown.
The attack was hours after a peaceful Black Lives Matters demo at Forbury Gardens park – but there was no suggestion it was in any way linked to that.
SCREAM
Last night Boris Johnson tweeted: “My thoughts are with all of those affected by the appalling incident in Reading and my thanks to the emergency services on the scene.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted: “Deeply concerned to hear reports of an incident in Reading.
“My thoughts are with everyone involved, including police and emergency responders at the scene.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: “Very concerning reports from Reading. Thank you to police and other emergency service personnel responding.”
One woman who was heading into the park for a picnic said: “I heard some children scream and cry. I was pointing to a mound and told my husband it would be perfect for a picnic spot. That’s when I heard sirens. We saw emergency services perform CPR.”
Thames Valley Police said: “Police attended at around 7pm along with other emergency services.
“Officers arrested a man at the scene who is now in police custody.
“A number of people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital. A police cordon is in place in Forbury Gardens. We are asking the public to avoid the area at this time.”
Nieema Hassan, who helped organise the earlier BLM rally, said: “I have goosebumps knowing this has happened only a few hours after we all peacefully came together today to talk about change and equality and it’s pretty heartbreaking that this day has been tarnished with violence.
“Praying and hoping that the people attacked today and their families are going to be okay. One thing I do know is that it had nothing to do with the protests.
“They were very peaceful. I am literally praying for the people that have been affected.
“I hope they are okay. In terms of the people who attended from Black Lives Matter, we are all safe. We had left by the time this happened.”
The full scale of the horror became apparent when a video was posted at around 7pm.
Shocked Twitter users begged for the footage to be taken down saying family members were yet to be informed of the horrifying scenes.
Social media was swamped by worried locals urging people to stay away. One person posted: “Police out in force at #Forbury gardens. Condolences to those involved. Hope they catch the perpetrators.” Courtney Friday tweeted: “Thoughts are with everyone involved in Forbury Gardens incident tonight.”
Sarah Hacker wrote: “Shocked to be seeing the news from Forbury Gardens. Thoughts are with those injured and their families.”
Freelance journalist Claire Gould, 33, who lives near the scene, said she saw two air ambulances land on the nearby Kings Meadow as a police helicopter circled overhead.
Reading FC football player Tom McIntyre said: “Praying for those attacked in Forbury Gardens, awful.”