A 14-year-old boy who was killed during a sword rampage in Hainault, East London has been named as Daniel Anjorin.
The teenager died in hospital after the Tuesday, April 30, 2024 attack, in which four other people, including two police officers, were injured.
The victim’s mother was a teacher at Holy Family Catholic School in Waltham Forest.
The suspect is now in police custody, the Met has said.
The 36-year-old man, with a beard and wearing a yellow hooded jumper, was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Immediately after his arrest he was taken to hospital due to the injuries from when he crashed his van into a fence.
The force said they had “so far” found no previous police contact with the suspect.
The Metropolitan Police on Wednesday, released the first image of Daniel, a student at Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green.
It shows him wearing a school uniform with a striped blue tie, and travelling on public transport.
His family are being supported by specialist officers as detectives continue their investigation.
Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, leading the investigation into the attack, said: “This is an incredibly tragic incident that has resulted in a young boy losing his life and his family devastated. On behalf of the family, I would ask that their privacy is respected.”
The headteacher of the school attended by Daniel Anjorin has said in a message to parents the boy was a “much-loved” pupil.
Simon Marshall, who took over Bancroft’s School in 2016, told parents it is “scarcely believable” that the school is facing “fresh sorrow”, less than a year after the former pupil Grace O’Malley-Kumar was killed in the Nottingham attacks.
In a note seen by the BBC, he said: “I had been intending to write to you once the news has become public, but I understand that many within our community may already be aware of events yesterday.
“It is therefore with great sadness and shock that I am writing to inform you of the tragic death of Daniel Anjorin, one of our pupils. Our thoughts and prayers at this moment are with Daniel’s family and friends.”
It added that “it seems scarcely believable that less than a year on from the terrible death of Grace O’Malley-Kumar in the Nottingham attacks we are facing fresh sorrow”
A woman tried to warn Daniel Anjorin about the man wielding a sword before he was fatally stabbed but he did not hear because he had headphones on.
Aiste Dabasinskaaite told ITV she was confronted by the man but managed to run away despite him putting his foot on hers so she couldn’t back off.
She said the man asked her for the address of the area they were in.
“Once I told the address, he sort of moved closer towards me, he put his foot on my foot so I couldn’t back off and then that’s when he like drew out the sword. It was arm’s length. It was honestly petrifying. I just ran down the road, I didn’t even look back to see if he was chasing me,” he said.
She then tried to warn Daniel: “My instinct was to shout and wave at him, which is what me and another neighbour did but because he had just his headphones on I don’t think he heard either of us.
“It was sort of a moment where we just went from shouting to just blankness, just felt empty. You wouldn’t think that would happen on your doorstep.”
A friend said Daniel was a “very good person” who loved maths and Arsenal FC.
Cyan Thompson, 19, told the Independent that people “couldn’t help but smile” whenever Daniel walked into the room.
“He was a very good person on his way to school and then some random person did that. For what purpose? My friend was supposed to go with him to school but forgot something at home and had to go back. He expected to see him in class. His mum won’t let him out of the house now.”
He added: “I’m way older but Daniel was better than me at maths. I was planning on playing football with him later today. But that’s not going to happen
“He was like a prime Messi, he could get past me very easily. He was small but very jinky. He was a very determined guy. I support Man City, he supports Arsenal, it was a good rivalry. You couldn’t help but smile when he walked into the room.”
In a statement, the Met Police said the suspect struck a 33-year-old m when he crashed his van into a property on Laing Close around 07:00 BST on Tuesday. He then attacked the man, leaving him with a wound to the neck.
Another man, 35, suffered lacerations to his arm when he was attacked inside a nearby house.
Their conditions are not considered to be life-threatening, police said.
The suspect then went on to attack Daniel.
The Met said police arrived within 12 minutes of the first call where officers used incapacitant spray and a Taser on the suspect, which had “limited impact”.
Two officers were then attacked as well, suffering serious injuries and needing long-term treatment to recover, the force said.
The suspect fled before eventually being surrounded by other officers in Thurlow Gardens where he was overpowered with a Taser.
He was arrested and taken to hospital due to injuries from the crash. He is now in police custody.
