The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
BRAVE SON AND FATHER TACKLE KNIFEMAN
‘I’ve got a wife and kids and I just did what I’d expect any man in that situation to do’ - Vinney King
A brave father and son have been praised after disarming a barefoot man brandishing two large knives in a Peterborough medical centre. The dramatic incident unfolded at 1.30pm on Sunday whenVinney King and his father Bernard O’ Ma honey were driving alongGranville Street, Peterborough, whentheysaw a man brandishing two large knives running barefoot along the street.
Mr O’Mahoney’s wife and two younger children were in the car but the pair decided to park the vehicle and follow the man. Thecourageous pair ran after them an asking shaken passers-by which direction he had gone. They were told he had entered the Park Medical Centre and they gave chase. They entered the medical centre where they found a distressed pharmacist who pointed to a nearbyroom. The pair went into the room and 29-year-old Mr King, a 6ft 2in self-employed ceramic tiler from Dogsthorpe, shouted at them an to drop the knives. He then approached them an and wrenched one knife from his grasp before shouting at him to drop the second knife. Mr King grabbed the second knife and the pair kept the man in the room at the medical centre until police arrived afterafew minutes.
Mr King said: “I didn’t think about it too much at the time. There were women and children around and I’ve got a wife and kids and I just did what I’ d expect any man in that situation to do. “It’s the world we live in. We see a lot of incidents reported on the news and I’ve always thought that if I ever found myself in that situation I would do what I could. I think any man would have done the same if they’d seen a person running down the street waving knives.”
He added: “I don’t consider myself a hero but I think it’s something any man should do if something like this happens and there are women and children around .”
A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: “We would like to thank the member of the public for their brave ac- tions, however, we would not advise people to approach or attempt to disarm a person with a weapon.
“In this type of scenario we would urge people to move to a safe place and call police as soon as possible.”
A 40-year- old man has been charged with possession of a knife in a public place. He was given bail to appear at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on September 14.