A “gentle and peaceful” dog walker who was “just trying to help” has died and two people have been injured in a triple stabbing in west London.
A 22-year-old Afghan national has been arrested on suspicion of murder as neighbours paid tribute to the victim, who they said was “just doing the normal dog walk that he does every day”.
The Home Office said the suspect entered the UK hiding in the back of a lorry before claiming asylum, which was granted in 2022.
Officials also confirmed that he is not resident in an asylum hotel or any other Home Office accommodation, despite claims on social media.
The decision to release key details, including the suspect’s immigration status, comes as Labour faces pressure over the soaring cost of using hotels to house asylum seekers and a row over last week’s accidental release of migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu from prison.
Monday night’s attack at around 5pm in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge, is not being treated as terror-related.
A 49-year-old victim, named locally as Wayne Broadhurst, died at the scene. Residents told the Daily Mail that Mr Broadhurst, a local bin man, had tried to intervene after a fight spilled out onto the street before the alleged attacker started slashing at him.
Another local added: “He’s well known around here. He's a lovely guy, very gentle and peaceful. He was just trying to help and it’s ended up costing him his life.”
A man, aged 45, also suffered life-changing injuries in the stabbing and a 14-year-old boy was wounded in what police described as a “senseless act of violence”.
The 45-year-old is said to have survived after locals armed with baseball bats rushed outside to defend him.
Tahira Hassan, who lives near the scene of the attack, said a teenage boy wearing a blood-soaked shirt knocked on her door begging for help at around 5pm.
When her husband opened the door, four or five residents from a house opposite emerged to protect the man, who was badly injured.
She added: “They had bats. There were four or five people. They were protecting him, so they saved his life. They did a very good job.
“Maybe he would have died if they didn’t protect him.”
The Metropolitan Police said the 22-year-old Afghan national was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Detectives are working to establish any relationship between the suspect and the three victims, the force said.
Footage posted online appears to show the suspect walking along a residential street, before two police officers sprint after him, one pointing a Taser and shouting “drop the knife” and “get on the floor”.
Several others join them before the Taser is fired and the man falls to the ground.
One neighbour who did not want to be named said the 49-year-old victim was a binman who was “just doing the normal dog walk that he does every day”.
“I’ve been here two years and would see him walk past the window,” she said.
She described him as “the last person on Earth that you would think somebody would go for”.
She said she took some flowers and a box of shortbread over for his wife and added: “I still can’t get over it.
“If he was five or 10 minutes later taking the dog out, would the same thing have happened?”
A group of around 100 mourners gathered to lay flowers near the police tape at the junction between Midhurst Gardens and Leybourne Road on Tuesday night, with some lighting candles.
One Union flag was held above the crowd as they gathered shortly before 7.30pm.
One female neighbour, who earlier left a bunch of flowers near the cordon, said: “Last night the police came down my road, it was about 5pm, I thought to myself ‘oh my god I wonder what’s happened’.”
She said she found out what happened early on Tuesday, which made her feel “absolutely sick”, adding: “That somebody could actually do that, it’s just awful.”
Chief Superintendent Jill Horsfall said: “This was a shocking and senseless act of violence that has left one man dead and two others injured.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time.
“The incident will have understandably caused concern to the local community. I have deployed multiple officers to the local area; they will be here throughout the week to provide reassurance while detectives work intensely to piece together the circumstances.
“I understand that there has been a lot of speculation online following on from this incident. We ask that you rely on us for information, and that you do not share sensitive footage.
“If anyone saw or has any information about the incident, then please come forward to police. We appreciate any information that you may have.
“There will be a crime scene and a heavy police presence within the area over the next few days. I thank residents for their patience.”
Speaking about the stabbing, Home Office minister Alex Norris said the government is "resolute" in deporting people who commit crimes in the UK.
He told LBC: "This is a dreadful case, and our feelings are with the people of Uxbridge.
"We're still of course working through precisely what's happened and the motivation and the intent there.
"I do want to clarify some disinformation that is going round. This wasn't an individual housed in a hotel, this wasn't an individual with a live asylum claim.
"We normally don't go that far, as you know, but I think it's important for public confidence to say that.
"This individual must feel the full weight of the law, and when people do commit crimes in this country, we are resolute in deporting them."
Interim guidance issued by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing this summer says police should consider disclosing details about suspects’ nationality and ethnicity in high-profile and sensitive investigations, although decisions will remain with the individual force.
It was introduced after misinformation shared on social media in the wake of the attack on girls at a dance class in Southport last July helped to spark widespread riots.
Anyone with information on the Uxbridge incident can call police on 101 quoting the reference 5129/27OCT, or to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online.
