Woman stabbed to death and man killed after being hit by a car
Driver ‘deliberately ran-over’ knifeman in bid to stop frenzied attack on woman: Hero neighbour tells of battle to stop hooded assailant who ‘lay in wait’ for female victim they ‘couldn’t save’
Metropolitan Police officers are called to stabbing in Maida Vale, West London, during rush hourWhen they got to the scene at about 9am today they also found a man who had been hit by a carFirefighters freed man who was trapped under vehicle but both were declared dead at the scenePolice launch ‘urgent investigation’ ahead of post-mortem examinations but have made no arrests
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A hero neighbour revealed today how he desperately tried to save a woman as she suffered a frenzied knife attack in the street before a car deliberately ran over her attacker and killed him in West London.
Witnesses tried to distract the attacker in Maida Vale in desperate attempts to save the victim – but she and the man both stumbled into the road during the struggle and he was fatally struck by the vehicle.
Engineer Jiyad Raad, 52, told how he confronted the attacker along with another passer-by during the horrifying incident at about 9am, but the man brandished the knife at the pair and ordered them to ‘Get back’.
The attack only ended when a passing motorist drove into the man who ended up pinned under the wheels of the driver’s blue Renault Clio, with dozens of children attending the nearby secondary school left screaming.
One witness said the incident was ‘something one sees in movies, not in real life’. Police were initially dispatched to reports of a stabbing, and when they got to the scene also found the man who had been hit by a car.
Paramedic teams from the London Ambulance Service were called as well as crews from London Fire Brigade, who freed the man as he was trapped under the vehicle, but both victims were declared dead at the scene.
Mr Raad told MailOnline today how he ran into the street after being alerted by the victim’s desperate screams, saying: ‘It was horrific. He was repeatedly plunging the knife into her. It was a 10cm (4in) long kitchen knife.
‘The woman was screaming for help but he did not stop. He was stabbing her in the neck and the side and the stomach as she was lying on the floor. She had her hands up trying to protect herself.
‘I ran towards him and we pleaded with him to stop. He then turned on us and raised the knife up and was threatening to stab us. He was saying ‘Get back. Get back.’ We couldn’t get near him.
‘We couldn’t do anything to stop him. He was waving the knife at us then kept turning to stab the woman again. She must have been stabbed ten times. I tried to distract him but he wouldn’t stop.
‘He was only stopped when the driver ran his car over him. He drove fast enough that the attacker went beneath the car and was pinned under the wheels. He was asking people to get him out but we couldn’t lift up the car.
‘He was shouting ‘Please. Please help me’. The woman was also stuck under the car because her coat was under one of the wheels. I was trying to help the woman. There was blood everywhere.
Metropolitan Police officers investigate at the scene in Maida Vale, West London, this afternoon following the double death
Forensics officers in Maida Vale today after a woman was stabbed to death and a man was killed after being hit by a car
Forensic tents at the scene in Maida Vale today after the incident which caused five bus routes to go on diversion
‘I got blood all over my hands as I tried to stop her bleeding. She was breathing very heavily. In the end there was nothing we could do to save her. The driver was a young man. He was in a state of shock. I told him it was the only to stop him.
‘The police came and lifted the car up Ian a jack and took him from under the vehicle then put the attacker into an ambulance. He had been under the vehicle for about 15 minutes and he did not survive.
‘This all happened before 9am as people were taking their children to school. The attacker was a black man in his 20s who was wearing a hood and a mask. It seemed as if he knew the woman he attacked and had been lying in wait for her.’
Police said they had launched ‘an urgent investigation’ after the incident and officers were working to tell the families of the deceased. They have not made any arrests and said post-mortem examinations will be arranged.
Photographs taken at the scene this afternoon showed forensic teams investigating and taking photographs amid a huge police presence with a large cordon in place that was causing five bus routes to go on diversion.
Witnesses told how residents who live within the cordon were not allowed to enter, and local MP Karen Buck said what happened was ‘horrific’ and ‘devastating’ for both relatives of those killed and the surrounding community.
Mulugeta Asseratte, who saw the attack, said: ‘It is a very terrible incident. I was coming up from the bakery to Chippenham Road and suddenly heard shouts of ‘stop it, stop it’ and it was a girl being attacked by a gentleman.
‘In any case, I’m a father of four daughters, such things do happen, and I tried to look and even say ‘stop it’ and it would not.
Detectives investigate this afternoon following the double death which happened in Maida Vale, West London
Forensics officers in Maida Vale today after a woman was stabbed to death and a man was killed after being hit by a car
‘All of a sudden it moved to the street and no sooner than they reached the street than a driver came and hit both of them. We were all shocked and shouting and my heart goes out to the families of this fatal incident. This is something one sees in movies, not in real life.’
Witness Raad Jiyad, 52, told the Evening Standard: ‘I saw a man over a woman with a knife, I saw the blade. I heard her screaming in pain. I wanted to try and make him come towards me instead to buy her some time.
‘We tried to save her. He had this big knife so no one wanted to go near. Then this car came through and ran him over. It was all over so quickly. He went completely under the car. I think the driver was just trying to buy time to distract him.’
Another local resident said he heard ‘awful screams coming from kids’ attending a nearby secondary school.
The incident happened on Chippenham Road which has an average house price of £497,000 and features a row of traditional townhouse terraces mostly now converted into flats as well as a park including a children’s playground.
Local roads were closed with buses 31, 36, 228 and 328 all on diversion. Westminster North Labour MP Ms Buck, whose constituency address is just 200 yards away, tweeted today: ‘Horrific events this morning in Elgin Avenue, which will be devastating for family and friends of those killed and also for the local community.’
Metropolitan Police officers on the scene this afternoon following the double death in Maida Vale, West London
Forensics officers in Maida Vale today after a woman was stabbed to death and a man was killed after being hit by a car
A Metropolitan Police officer in a forensic suit at the scene on Chippenham Road in Maida Vale this afternoon
Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Neil Smithson said: ‘This morning an incredibly serious incident has unfolded in the Westminster area which has seen two people pronounced dead. Our officers are on scene and are working to establish exactly what has happened. As soon as we have more information will keep the public updated but for now we must avoid speculation and allow investigators to do their work.
‘What I can say at this time is that the incident is contained and we do not believe there to be any wider threat to the community. We have spoken to a number of people already but anyone else who witnessed the incident, or who has information that could help us, is urged to make contact immediately.’
Councillor Tim Roca, who represents the Harrow Road ward on Westminster City Council, tweeted: ‘Just hearing about the tragic events on Chippenham road this morning. Absolutely awful news and fair to say the community is in shock.’
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘An urgent investigation has been launched following the deaths of a woman and a man in Maida Vale.
‘Police were called at 9.01am on Monday, January 24 to reports of a stabbing in Chippenham Road, W9. Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended the scene.
‘A woman was found at the scene with stab injuries. Officers also found a man at the location who had been struck by a vehicle. Both the man and the woman were pronounced dead at the scene.
‘Officers are working to inform their families. Post-mortem examinations will be arranged in due course. There has been no arrest at this stage. Enquiries are under way to establish the circumstances. Roads are closed in the area.’
Detectives investigate this afternoon after the double death happened in Maida Vale, West London
Metropolitan Police officers in forensic suits at the scene today on Chippenham Road in Maida Vale, West London
Emergency services at the scene today on Chippenham Road following the incident in Maida Vale, West London
A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We were called at 9.02am today to reports of an incident on Chippenham Road, W9.
‘We sent a number of resources to the scene, including two ambulance crews, two clinical team leaders, an advanced paramedic, two tactical response units, a medic in a car, an incident response officer, and members of our hazardous area response team.
‘We also dispatched by road London’s Air Ambulance. Despite our medics’ efforts, two people died at the scene.’
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘Firefighters were called to a road traffic collision on Chippenham Road in Maida Vale this morning. One car had been in collision with a pedestrian and a man was trapped under the vehicle.
‘Crews released him from under the car but he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Another woman was also sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
‘The Brigade was called at 9.10am and the incident was over for firefighters by 9.47am. Two fire engines from North Kensington and Paddington fire stations and a fire rescue unit from Paddington fire station were at the scene.’
The incident happened on the junction of Chippenham Road and Elgin Avenue which is located four roads away from the BBC’s famous Maida Vale studios.
Police said witnesses can call them on 101 quoting the reference 1496/24jan, or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online
