Central Middlesex Hospital victims attacked with axe-type weapon - BBC

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By Liz Jackson

BBC News

Two people attacked by a man at a London hospital were injured by a type of pick-axe, police said.

Armed police were called to Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal at 13:18 BST on Wednesday.

They found two men, believed to be aged in their 40s, with injuries thought to have been caused by a mattock.

Police located a man, also aged in his 40s, outside the hospital and he has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder.

Both the suspect and the injured men were contracted hospital staff who were known to each other, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that no patients or visitors were hurt during the incident.

The victims were not in a life-threatening condition, but one's injuries "may be life-changing", the force said.

A third victim was also targeted by the attacker but "was fortunate not to have sustained any injuries".

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The arrested man was treated in hospital for "self-inflicted" injuries and has since been discharged from hospital into police custody.

Officers have since further arrested him on suspicion of possessing of an offensive weapon, affray and a third count of attempted murder.

Both injured victims were continuing to receive treatment in hospital and their next of kin were aware, the Met said, adding the incident was not being treated as terror-related.

The hospital, on the border of Brent and Ealing in north-west London, was temporarily locked down during the incident and witnesses described how patients and visitors were locked in a nurses' room.

The building later reopened with a heightened police presence.

Jamie Hogg, a contractor who saw the incident unfold, said he and his colleagues were visiting the hospital to carry out work and he saw police "just swarming in".

"It was armed police, one after another, one after another, and they just sprinted straight into the hospital," he said.

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"I've never seen anything like this before in my life, I thought it was crazy. It's quite hard to believe."

He described the incident as "scary", continuing: "It could have been any of us. I don't know what were the reasons that drove him to that."

Amie Ferris-Rotman, who was visiting the hospital dialysis unit with her father, told Sky News police checked the area where they were before locking them in a nurses' room for about 45 minutes.

She said: "All the dialysis patients were quite freaked out.

"And at one point, those who were about to go on to dialysis were put in wheelchairs and brought into a room, which is where we were as well, and they were locked in."

Det Supt Will Lexton-Jones, acting commander for policing in Brent, said: "While our inquiries are ongoing, I can say that both the suspect and victims are contracted hospital staff who are known to each other.

"We are satisfied that no-one else is sought in connection, and there were no reported injuries to any patients or visitors."

Pippa Nightingale, from London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, said she wanted to express her "sincere thanks" to everyone who responded to the incident, adding "their professionalism is to be applauded".

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