A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing at a hotel being used to house Afghan refugees.
Surrey Police said the double stabbing began at a hotel overlooking the River Thames in Long Ditton with a second victim knifed by a nearby BMW garage on Sunday afternoon.
Mark Knight, 41 – who lives in Long Ditton, Surbiton, said he saw a man being led away from the Crowne Plaza hotel in Portsmouth Road in handcuffs.
“I saw someone in handcuffs coming out,” he said.
“There was another guy that came out with a bandage around his head and his bicep. They put him in an ambulance.”
Mr Knight also said he first noticed that there was “drama” at the hotel around 1pm, and saw the road “jam packed” with police vehicles.
Videos taken on social media show an air ambulance attempting to land in a nearby park with dozens of police officers and paramedics swarming the scene.
A Surrey Police spokesperson said: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two people were stabbed around 1.45pm this afternoon (9 July).
“They have both been taken to hospital following the incident. One person is believed to have been assaulted at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Portsmouth Road while the other man was attacked at the BMW garage next door.
“While we appreciate that this may be extremely concerning, we would like to reassure you that we believe this was an isolated incident. An investigation is underway to establish the circumstances of the incident and remains ongoing.
“We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information which could assist our enquiries, to come forward quoting reference PR/SYP-20230709-0431.”
The Crowne Plaza Hotel overlooks The Thames and is close to attractions like Hampton Court and Chessington World of Adventures. The “modern riverside hotel” in suburban Kingston boasts meeting facilities, a restaurant and a fitness centre.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We take the welfare and safety of those in our care incredibly seriously.
“We are aware of an incident in Surrey at a hotel housing Afghan refugees.
“We are working closely with Surrey Police and partners on the ground to support the investigation and those affected by today’s events.”
