Hero, 20, killed saving great-great-grandma Betty, aged 82, from crazed knife attacker
A 20-YEAR-OLD man killed in a knife rampage was last night hailed as a hero for saving the life of great-great-grandmother.
Ali Abucar Ali was described by his family as ‘the most caring, humble, funniest young man’ after he died jumping to the defence of Betty Walsh, 82, who had been attacked in a kebab shop.
Police investigating the attack in Brentford, West London, on Friday night arrested a man in his 30s yesterday on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Officers said there was no evidence linking the stabbings to terrorism and they were trying to establish if anyone involved in the attack was known to each other.
One bystander said: ‘I was going to get a kebab but when I went out, I saw the police arrive. The boy was on the floor covered in blood and they were trying to give CPR, but he could not be saved.’
Mrs Walsh, a retired barmaid and mother of seven originally from Ireland who has lived in Brentford all her adult life, was reportedly punched and stabbed in the Best Kebab and Fish Bar.
She underwent a kidney operation at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, West London, following the attack.
Last night, her eldest daughter Bridget, 60, said: ‘She didn’t realise she had been punched and didn’t realise she had been stabbed until someone came out to help her.
‘Ali went up and asked what all the commotion was about, challenged her attacker and tried to help her. What happened to him next was a tragedy.’ She added: ‘Everyone knew mum. She has lived in Brentford for 60 years.
‘She was lively and fit; she walked every day and was a strong woman. She went out shopping a lot and wasn’t frail at all. She was footballmad and Brentford FC-mad.’
The family could not say when Mrs Walsh would be able to leave hospital. Yesterday, her grandson left a bouquet of flowers at the scene of the stabbings.
One of Mrs Walsh’s sons, who did not want to give his name, arrived shortly afterwards. He would only say: ‘This is England. This is society.’
A crowdfunding page established in memory of Ali, said to have been recently awarded a scholarship, had raised more than £7,000 last night. A friend wrote on the page: ‘The most caring, humble, funniest young man, Don’t have a single memory of him without seeing his amazing smile.’
Another wrote: ‘I am grieving for the loss of this heroic young man who could have saved himself if he hadn’t gone ahead to defend a lady in danger.
‘What a star – shining in heaven now. Allah rest his soul and give succour to his poor family. RIP.’ Marie Walsh, who described herself as Betty’s daughter, said: ‘This lad is a hero – he died trying to save our mum. Rest in peace.’
A local resident said: ‘I heard about how the boy went to help the old lady from a friend.
‘He was a hero. What he did was so honourable, and it is such a shame he died.’
Gerhard Peleschka, the manager of local pub The Griffin, described Mrs Walsh as a ‘Brentford legend’.
He said: ‘Betty used to work here on match days during the busiest times. She was here until 1978, she was the best barmaid you’d ever meet.
‘She knew everyone, everyone loved her. People knew her for years and years, she’s a Brentford legend.’