A quiet morning in Croydon turned into chaos when a man armed with a large knife launched a violent attack, leaving five people injured. The horrifying incident unfolded near a Sainsbury’s and Argos warehouse on Marlowe Way, Beddington, shortly after 10:15 GMT.
‘He Was Stabbing at Me Like a Serial Killer’
Eyewitness Joseph Denton, 29, was among those caught in the attack, describing the terrifying moment he confronted the knifeman.
“He didn’t say a word. He was trying to kill me, and I’d never seen him before in my life,” Denton recalled. “He stabbed two people in the chest, one had a big gash in his arm. I think someone is on the side as well.”
Armed with nothing but instinct, Denton tried to lock a door to keep the attacker out but was forced to take him on directly.
“I got him on the floor and decided to hit him with a fire extinguisher, which sort of calmed everything down,” he said. “And then people rushed in because he was on the floor at that point, and we all just carried on attacking him until he left. I didn’t really have a choice.”
Describing the weapon, Denton said, “It was literally the size of my face. It was a Rambo knife about eight inches, with all jagged edges.”
Swift Police Response
Emergency services arrived in force, with multiple ambulances, fire engines, and helicopters spotted at the scene. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) confirmed that one victim was in his 50s, two were in their 30s, and two were in their 20s.
A spokesperson for LAS said: “We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast-response car, an incident response officer, members of our Tactical Response Unit, and London’s Air Ambulance. Our crews treated five patients at the scene before taking one to a London major trauma centre and four to other hospitals.”
Arrest and Investigation
The Metropolitan Police arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. The suspect, who also sustained injuries, was taken to hospital, though police confirmed his condition was not life-threatening.
Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain praised the swift response of officers, saying: “Officers responded quickly and arrested the suspect within an hour. An investigation is now under way. Based on initial enquiries, we believe all those involved knew each other. Therefore, we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public.”
As Croydon recovers from yet another shocking act of violence, questions remain about the circumstances leading up to the attack and how such incidents can be prevented in the future.
