Latest news with #swordattack
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Survivors describe ‘devastating' impact of Hainault sword attack
Survivors have spoken of the 'profound' and 'devastating' impact of the Hainault sword attack. Security guard Donato Iwule was run over by a van and then ran screaming for his life when Marcus Monzo came at him with a sword. In a victim impact statement, he said: 'The attack I endured has profoundly disrupted my life on every level, physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. 'I've had to manage physical pain, emotional trauma, anxiety – all from one violent and traumatic event. 'I am still in the process of healing – it has changed how I live, how I feel, and how I see the world around me.' Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield was severely injured after being struck repeatedly with a sword by Monzo. She said: 'Since the 30th April 2024 the injuries I sustained during this incident have had a significant and permanent effect on my life which has taken away my independence.' She described facing 'numerous challenges' in the wake of the attack, including struggling to dress one-handed, and preparing her hair. She said: 'I find this emotionally devastating every morning as I try to cover the scar and dent on the left side of my head. 'I no longer want to travel by myself or go out of the house without someone being with me. I have a fear of being attacked again and not being able to defend myself.' Sindy Arias was asleep with her then partner Henry De Los Rios Polania when Monzo burst into their room, with their young child nearby. She said she suffered 'deep, persistent fear' and although she was not physically hurt, the emotional consequences were profound. 'No other family or person should have to go through such a complex, painful and destabilising experience,' she said. Mr Polania suffered severe injuries to his hands which prevented him from going back to work. Despite that, he said he had found strength he did not know he had and leaned on the love of family, friends and professionals. He said: 'I want the court to understand this attack didn't end when it was over. I live with its consequences every single day, in my body, in my mind, in my finances, and in my future. 'I hope justice today reflects the seriousness and long-lasting damage caused by this violent act. And I hope the person responsible understands the full weight of what they've done and takes responsibility for it.' Inspector Moloy Campbell sustained a serious hand injury when he ran in to confront Monzo with his baton raised after learning that one of his colleagues had been hurt. Reading his statement at Monzo's sentencing on Friday, he said: 'The community that my team and I are tasked to protect was under attack. My team, the line which stood between peace and chaos, safety and danger, was being breached. 'This is a scary and lonely place to be in. There was no help in that moment – we were the help. 'I had a choice to make: to contain Mr Monzo and line my officers up for slaughter, or confront Mr Monzo, thereby putting mine and other officers' lives at risk. This is a horrible decision which no-one should have to make. 'When I challenged Mr Monzo, I knew it may be the last decision I would ever make, but one that had to be made. 'It's a horrible feeling, being in a confrontation which feels like a 'him or me' situation. When I felt the slash to my hand I looked down and saw the inside of it. I had no choice but to withdrawn due to a catastrophic bleed but I felt I had failed.' Mr Campbell was treated in hospital and came round believing the team had achieved their goal to preserve life. Describing his feelings on learning that was not the case and schoolboy Daniel Anjorin had died, he said: 'I have never had the wind knocked out of me like that moment. I felt I was being sucked down into my hospital bed.' He added: 'Since returning to work, my heart beats a little bit quicker when my officers respond to violent incidents involving weapons. 'But Mr Monzo, you should know that my officers and I have continued, with renewed pride and focus, to respond whenever called upon. This will not change.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Survivors describe ‘devastating' impact of Hainault sword attack
Survivors have spoken of the 'profound' and 'devastating' impact of the Hainault sword attack. Security guard Donato Iwule was run over by a van and then ran screaming for his life when Marcus Monzo came at him with a sword. In a victim impact statement, he said: 'The attack I endured has profoundly disrupted my life on every level, physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. 'I've had to manage physical pain, emotional trauma, anxiety – all from one violent and traumatic event. 'I am still in the process of healing – it has changed how I live, how I feel, and how I see the world around me.' Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield was severely injured after being struck repeatedly with a sword by Monzo. She said: 'Since the 30th April 2024 the injuries I sustained during this incident have had a significant and permanent effect on my life which has taken away my independence.' She described facing 'numerous challenges' in the wake of the attack, including struggling to dress one-handed, and preparing her hair. She said: 'I find this emotionally devastating every morning as I try to cover the scar and dent on the left side of my head. 'I no longer want to travel by myself or go out of the house without someone being with me. I have a fear of being attacked again and not being able to defend myself.' Sindy Arias was asleep with her then partner Henry De Los Rios Polania when Monzo burst into their room, with their young child nearby. She said she suffered 'deep, persistent fear' and although she was not physically hurt, the emotional consequences were profound. 'No other family or person should have to go through such a complex, painful and destabilising experience,' she said. Mr Polania suffered severe injuries to his hands which prevented him from going back to work. Despite that, he said he had found strength he did not know he had and leaned on the love of family, friends and professionals. He said: 'I want the court to understand this attack didn't end when it was over. I live with its consequences every single day, in my body, in my mind, in my finances, and in my future. 'I hope justice today reflects the seriousness and long-lasting damage caused by this violent act. And I hope the person responsible understands the full weight of what they've done and takes responsibility for it.'
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Man who murdered Hainault schoolboy with sword to be sentenced
Update: Date: 10:14 BST Title: 'I'm no hero,' says officer slashed in Hainault sword attack Content: Lucy ManningSpecial correspondent This video can not be played 'He was slashing at me' - police officer who confronted Hainault sword attacker We have interviewed Inspector Moloy Campbell, who engaged in face-to-face fighting with Marco Monzo, receiving a slash wound to his hand as he tried to disarm him. He told us that he does not see himself as a hero, but he said his team of officers are "undoubtedly heroic" for their actions in stopping the attack. Recalling the confrontation in April 2024, Insp Campbell told the BBC: "It's a natural instinct: fight or flight, and in that moment it was fight. There was emotion after the event and after it all died down, but there was no fear." He added: "And I don't think there was much fear from anyone actually, because they're police officers and are expected to take action and that's hard drilled into them and they did it well." Update: Date: 10:11 BST Title: Reporters and camera crews set up outside Old Bailey Content: Cachella SmithReporting from the Old Bailey I'm here at the Old Bailey in central London where we are expecting the sentencing hearing of Marcus Monzo to begin within the next hour. The court will first hear submissions from the prosecution and defence teams before the judge actually passes down the sentence - which you'll be able to watch this afternoon from 14:00 BST. On Wednesday, Monzo was found guilty of a number of offences - including the murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin and the attempted murder of three others - all of which took place in a series of attacks that lasted just over 20 minutes. Since the attacks last year, the case has attracted a large amount of media attention. I spotted two camera crews outside as I came in this morning, but there are already a number of journalists waiting outside the courtroom itself. Update: Date: 10:04 BST Title: How a deadly attack unfolded in just 20 minutes Content: Update: Date: 09:58 BST Title: From conspiracy theorist to violent assailant – who is Marcus Monzo? Content: After his arrest on 24 April 2024, Marcus Monzo sat for a series of police interviews. Throughout, police learned that the 37-year-old believed his personality had switched before the attack and he compared the events to the movie The Hunger Games. He also told police that he had "many personalities" and that one of them was a "professional assassin". Before coming to the UK in 2013, Monzo grew up in Brazil. While giving evidence in court, he admitted to being possession of two samurai swords, but insisted he could not remember attacking multiple people in a rampage across the streets of Hainault. The court heard that the former Amazon driver was a martial arts enthusiast who believed in conspiracy theories - including ones about the Earth being flat and that the 9/11 attacks were fake. His brother said he had changed after attending retreats in India and the Amazon where he drank ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic tea. Both the prosecution and defence agreed Monzo had a psychotic disorder. But prosecutors said his behaviour was triggered "by self-induced intoxication in the form of drugs" through his use of cannabis, which led to the psychosis. Monzo's defence claimed he was "most likely suffering from a pre-existing condition". On the day of the attack, he strangled his cat and tried to eat it. That morning, Monzo said he had felt the onset of "something like Armageddon" and he believed "the world was collapsing". Update: Date: 09:51 BST Title: 'We have lost the most loved and amazing son' Content: Daniel Anjorin's father, who sat in court throughout the trial, spent several days listening to disturbing evidence about how his son was killed and watching the police videos of Monzo with his sword attacking others that day. When Monzo received his guilty verdict this week, the father of Daniel Anjorin sat just feet away – occasionally wiping away tears. The family of the 14-year-old boy released a statement after his death, saying that it was hard for them to fathom that Daniel had left the house for school on that spring morning 'and then he was gone'. "Our children have lost their loving and precious brother and we have lost the most loved and amazing son," they said. Update: Date: 09:44 BST Title: 'He's just killed that boy': How the Hainault attack unfolded Content: Kirsty O'Connor, from CPS, said this week that their "hearts go out" to Daniel's family and friends who have suffered "his unimaginable loss in horrific circumstances" As we've been reporting, Marcus Monzo is set to be sentenced today over the deadly attack he carried out in Hainault last year, during which he murdered 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin and injured several others. The 37-year-old's rampage began on the morning of 30 April 2024 in the north-east London suburb. He first drove a van into a pedestrian and then slashed him in the neck, before turning his attention to Daniel, who he fatally wounded with a 60cm (24in) samurai sword. Monzo then entered a nearby home where a couple and their four-year-old daughter were asleep, slashing a man on the arm before leaving the property. He was cleared of one count of attempted murder in relation to this attack, but was found guilty of the lesser offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The court was told Monzo had gone into a cannabis-induced psychosis before the attack. Giving evidence at his trial, he said he had no memory of what happened and claimed his mental state had diminished his responsibility for the crimes. The prosecution argued that psychosis brought on by self-induced intoxication was no defence for murder. Monzo was found guilty this week of murdering the schoolboy, along with several other offences - which we'll detail in full in our next few posts. Update: Date: 09:34 BST Title: Man who murdered Hainault schoolboy with sword to be sentenced Content: Lucy ManningReporting from the Old Bailey I'm here outside the Old Bailey, where we'll soon hear the sentencing of Marcus Monzo. The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, has already told the Spanish-Brazilian national when he was found guilty of the murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin that he will face a life sentence today. He now needs to set the minimum number of years that Monzo will serve. Before that happens this afternoon, there will be emotional victim impact statements read to the court. The Anjorin family have lost their son Daniel, described as loving, hard working with a gentle character. Others that day in Hainault nearly lost their lives. Both police officers and local residents have struggled to recover from physical injuries and mental trauma and we will hear more about that this morning. During the three weeks of this trial, Daniel Anjorin's father sat and listened to the traumatic details of what unfolded in Hainault that morning. The Anjorin family will see justice being done today, but Monzo took their son and brother from them just moments after he waved goodbye as he went to school. I'll be inside the court from 10:30 BST alongside my colleagues to file updates, and then at 14:00 BST I'll be poised to bring you the first lines on Monzo's sentencing. Stick with us.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Sky News
Hainault sword rampage survivor recalls moment attacker told him: 'I'm going to kill you'
A survivor of the Hainault samurai sword rampage has told Sky News of the moment that attacker Marcus Arduini Monzo looked him in the eye and said: "I'm going to kill you". Donato Iwule recalled his "escape from death" after Monzo was found guilty on Wednesday of charges including one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder following the attack in east London on 30 April last year. Among the victims was 14-year-old schoolboy Daniel Anjorin, who died of his injuries. Mr Iwule was the first person to be attacked during the 20-minute rampage, which he described as being like a "horror movie". He was on his way to work when Monzo drove his grey Ford Transit van into him at speed. The attacker then leapt out of the vehicle and slashed the young father in the neck, before running off. Mr Iwule told Sky News correspondent Ashna Hurynag he remembered being "on the floor" for a short time after being hit and then looked up to see Monzo. "I saw this guy and I went to him, I said: 'Are you okay?' He didn't talk to me. He was angry and said: 'I need to kill'. I was like 'Huh?' "I said to him: 'Are you okay?' Then the next thing I saw was a samurai sword... I took a step back and said: 'What are you doing? Hello?' And he was like: 'I'm going to kill you, yeah, yeah'." 2:50 Mr Iwule said he then got to his feet and tried to move away as Monzo began swinging his sword around. "He came again and that's when I turned my eye, to see where I am, in case there were two or three [other attackers]... I looked at my back for a split second and I saw out of the corner of my eye, he was trying to swing. So I, kind of, moved back and this way he caught me right in my neck. "When he caught me, straight away I panicked for a couple of seconds." However, Mr Iwule said he recalled the words of his cousin, a doctor, about injuries, and used his thumb and jumpers to put pressure on the wound to stem the bleeding. He said hospital staff later told him he could have died in less than a minute due to the severity of his injuries. "He thought that he won. But he didn't... I was supposed to be dead," he added. Mr Iwule said his life flashed before his eyes during the incident and he was left traumatised for months afterwards. "I wasn't even going out, I was even scared to stay at my own house. I had to stay with my mum and have some sleepless nights because, for the past six to five months, I was reliving the same moment every single day," he said. Mr Iwule added he was "relieved" his attacker had now been convicted. Monzo, 37, will be sentenced on Friday.
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Met chief praises officers' ‘extraordinary bravery' responding to sword attacker
The head of the Metropolitan Police has praised the 'extraordinary bravery' of the officers who responded to a sword attacker who killed a schoolboy and injured others during a rampage. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, had gone into a cannabis-induced psychosis when he killed 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin with a samurai sword in Hainault, north-east London, on April 30 last year, the Old Bailey heard. On Wednesday, Monzo was found guilty of Daniel's murder, three charges of attempted murder, aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. He was cleared of one count of attempted murder in relation to the victim Henry De Los Rios Polania, but found guilty of the lesser offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Monzo previously admitted having the samurai sword used to kill Daniel and a katana sword found in his van. Sir Mark Rowley said he hopes the verdict 'brings some small semblance of justice and closure' for Daniel's loved ones. Along with his statement, the Metropolitan Police shared videos on X of the moment police confront Monzo in the street, then chase after him, before one officer is attacked by Monzo while another shouts 'police officer stabbed'. Clips showing other officers confronting Monzo are also on the video, before it shows him being put in handcuffs. A separate video has been shared by the force of Monzo filming himself unboxing a sword and describing it as 'freaking sexy'. Sir Mark praised the 'extraordinary bravery' and 'relentless courage' of the officers who responded to the incident. 'Many will remember the events that unfolded in Hainault in April last year and the shock waves that they sent through communities,' he said. 'The two elements of this case which drew such attention were, of course, the horrendous killing of Daniel, but second to that, the most extraordinary bravery of our officers who responded that day. 'People sometimes talk casually about officers courageously running towards danger, but what happened that day is the most extraordinary example of the relentless courage that leaves 18 officers a day assaulted in London, two seriously injured each week. 'Our colleagues, desperate to protect the community, ran towards an erratic and violent man who had just killed a young child and injured many others.' He added: ' Two of the officers suffered life-changing injuries, which I know they're still working hard to recover from today, and despite seeing their colleagues suffer those injuries, additional officers, without hesitation, continued to pursue the suspect, using every tactic available to stop this rampage. 'The actions of all those involved that day were truly extraordinary. My heartfelt thanks and admiration remain with them and those who investigated this case and since secured justice for the grieving family. 'It is an absolute privilege to work alongside those who courageously police the streets of London every day, routinely putting their safety at risk in the protection of the public. 'This is a heartbreaking case for all involved, while nothing can take away the pain that they feel, I do hope that today's verdict affords some comfort to Daniel's family.' Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said outside court on Wednesday afternoon: 'Marcus Monzo set out that morning under the influence of cannabis, with a clear intention to kill a number of people. 'It didn't matter who they were and sadly, he targeted Daniel in a cowardly and brutal attack. 'A number of other local people were also attacked, seriously injured and threatened that day – and I would like to acknowledge their bravery and resilience in giving evidence in this case.' He said that police officers and paramedics were on the scene within minutes of Monzo attacking Daniel, adding: 'I am in no doubt that the actions of those officers who arrived to pursue and attempt to detain Monzo saved lives and prevented more harm.' Monzo will be sentenced on Friday at the Old Bailey.
