A 36-year-old Brazilian man, Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzoa, with dual Spanish nationality, has been charged with murder for a deadly sword attack in London that left a 14-year-old teenager dead. The attack took place in a 22-minute rampage that also resulted in injuries to four other people, including two police officers. The incident occurred early in the morning in a town in northeast London. Monzoa attacked multiple victims, including a pedestrian, a father in a family home, and ultimately the teenager on his way to school.
According to reports, Monzoa appeared in court on Thursday where he was charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated robbery, and possession of a sharp article. The investigation into the incident is said to be complex due to the multiple crime scenes, forensic evidence, video surveillance recordings, and witnesses that need to be interviewed.
The attack began with a van crashing into a fence near a tube station, resulting in injuries to multiple individuals. Monzoa then proceeded to break into a family home and attack the residents inside. He also targeted the teenager on his way to school, ultimately leading to his death. The police arrived at the scene and attempted to neutralize the suspect, but he managed to injure two officers before being arrested 22 minutes after the initial emergency call.
One of the victims, identified as Henry De Los Ríos Polania, suffered a deep wound to his hand while trying to defend his family during the attack. The police have ruled out a terrorist motive for the incident, and initial checks did not reveal any prior incidents involving the suspect. The attack occurred in the midst of increasing knife attacks in the United Kingdom, raising concerns about security issues in the country.
The incident comes just days before local elections in London, where security has been a major issue in the campaign. The conservative opposition has criticized the current mayor, Sadiq Khan, for the security balance in the city. Meanwhile, the victims of the attack, including Polania, are recovering from their injuries and receiving support from family and loved ones.