A 25-year-old man has been arrested after three people were stabbed as members of the public tried to intervene in a phone robbery in central London.
Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Colin Bishop, of City of London Police major crime team, said the man was arrested by detectives investigating “a number of serious offences connected with the attempted robbery and knife attack” in Bishopsgate last Thursday.
The man is in custody after being arrested in Islington, north London, on Monday morning on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.
Witnesses reported seeing a group of two or three masked knifemen attacking a pedestrian just before 10am in Bishopsgate.
Members of the public, who were described as “heroes” by one witness, tried to stop the attackers.
Officers were alerted at 9.46am on Thursday to reports of three stabbings, which left the victims needing hospital treatment.
The victims did not suffer life-threatening injuries.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
City of London Police previously said the attack was not being treated as terror-related.
Charlotte Wright, 26, an administrator from Colchester who works near the scene, said: “I feel a bit apprehensive and scared coming out to get my lunch, but also pretty secure and safe.
“I know London is a very busy city and I know that if anything were to happen, unfortunately like the guys that stepped in during this incident, there are heroes willing to do that.”
