Police are treating the New Year's Eve stabbing of three people at Manchester Victoria railway station as a terrorist investigation. A police officer was among those injured.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/P. Ellis
Advertisement
Police in Manchester, UK, on Tuesday said a stabbing incident at the city's Victoria station on New Year's Eve was being treated as terror-related.
Three people suffered knife injuries when a man lunged at them as they were waiting for a train on one of the platforms.
Officers were called to the scene after receiving reports of the stabbing shortly before 9 p.m. local time (2100 UTC).
A man and woman, both in their 50s, were still being treated in hospital on Tuesday. Both had sustained wounds to the abdomen, with the woman suffering a severe injury to the forehead. The other victim, a police officer who was stabbed in the shoulder, was released from hospital on Tuesday morning.
Suspect detained
Two knives were recovered from the scene and a 25-year-old man was later arrested. The suspect was evaluated by specialist medical staff and detained under the Mental Health Act.
Though this would imply that the suspect may have mental issues, authorities were not ready to rule anything out.
"The counter-terrorism investigation remains ongoing. There is nothing to suggest the involvement of other people in this
attack, but confirming this remains a main priority for the investigation," the police said in a statement.
Authorities have carried out a raid of the man's home in the city's Cheetham Hill area.
Multiple witnesses
Shortly after Monday evening's stabbing, witnesses shared accounts of the incident on social media.
Another witness — Sam Clack, 38, a BBC producer — quoted the suspect as saying: "As long as you keep bombing other countries this sort of s*** is going to keep happening."
"He came towards me. I looked down and saw he had a kitchen knife with a black handle with a good 12-inch (30-centimeter) blade."
Police officers tasered the man and used pepper spray on him before several officers jumped on him, Clack added.
A witness who gave her name as Rebekka told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I heard the most blood-curdling scream I've ever heard and turned to see everyone running towards me."
"I was just really scared, I didn't know if I was going to die."
UK Prime Minister Theresa May thanked the emergency services for their "courageous response."
One witness told local media he saw a man dressed entirely in black attack a man and a woman in their 60s, after which police tasered and peppersprayed the manImage: Getty Images/AFP/P. Ellis
In 2017, Manchester was the site of a major terrorist attack when a young Islamist blew himself up at an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 other people and injuring 139 others.
Manchester unites to remember bomb attack victims one year on
Survivors, families of the victims, first responders and VIPs gathered in Manchester to mark the first anniversary of a bomb attack that killed 22 people leaving an Ariana Grande concert.
Image: Getty Images/L. Neal
A city in grief
Hundreds of flowers were laid in Manchester's central St. Ann's Square in a floral tribute to honor those who lost their lives. The city organized several events to mark the anniversary, including a memorial service attended by Prime Minister Theresa May and a choral concert by 3,000 singers.
Image: Getty Images/L. Neal
VIPs on hand
UK Prime Minister Theresa May arrived at "The Manchester Arena National Service of Commemoration at Manchester Cathedral" in the afternoon. Earlier, she wrote a commentary in the Manchester Evening News, saying that "such appalling acts of wickedness will do nothing but strengthen our resolve to defeat such twisted ideologies and beliefs."
Image: Getty Images/C. Furlong
Opposition leader in attendance
Opposition leader and head of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn (l.) also attended the memorial service, sitting two seats down from Prime Minister Theresa May. Other leaders seen during the service included Manchester Mayor and former Labour government minister Andy Burnham and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon.
Image: Getty Images/O. Scarff
A royal welcome
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was welcomed with a round of applause outside the cathedral, as the Royal Family appears to enjoy a rise in popularity following William's brother Harry's wedding the previous weekend. William shared a reading from the Book of Corinthians - one that had been read at his mother Diana's funeral in 1997.
Image: Getty Images/P. Ellis
Ariana Grande remembers attack
Ariana Grande shared a tweet, saying she was thinking of all her fans "on this challenging day." The superstar featured a bee in her tweet — a symbol for the city of Manchester. Last year, Grande had organized a benefit concert for the victims two weeks after the attack, which featured several high profile performers from the US and the UK.
Image: REUTERS
The investigation continues
The attack after the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017 came as part of a series of attacks in the UK that year. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the bombing and have requested the extradition of the attacker's brother from Libya for questioning as part of the investigation. Authorities believe that a terrorist ring may be involved.
