The Met Police has released new footage of the moment officers confronted the suspect, telling how they used their training to detain him while he continued to try to attack them, saying ‘This took true courage’
Police have released new footage capturing the moment the Golders Green suspected attacker was tasered and arrested by officers in north London.
The London Metropolitan Police posted the footage this evening showing officers congronting the man suspected of carrying out a terrorist attack in which two men – named locally as Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76 – suffered serious stab wounds. The service said the suspect had “refused to show his hands, was violent and continued to pose a clear threat”.
The Met said police “using only their training, courage and tasers” detained the man, who has not been identified, “while he continued to try to attack and stab them”. The service added: “This took true courage.”
READ MORE: Moment Jewish man stabbed at bus stop as police declare ‘terrorist incident’READ MORE: Golders Green resident tells how ‘terror has come to our doorstep’
The two injured men suffered serious stab wounds and are recovering in hospital. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said in a post on X naming the two victims: “Please join me in praying for a swift and complete recovery for the victims of today’s attack.” Both of the stabbing victims remain in stable condition at hospital, and a police probe into the incident has been launched.
The sister of Mr Rand, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Mail that she was appalled but not surprised by the shocking attack. She said: “It’s appalling, but also not surprising.
“We get targeted by antisemitism all the time. She added: “On a weekly basis, people walk past me on the street yelling ‘Hitler’s behind you’, ‘all Jews go to hell’, ‘Palestinians will win’, things like that. My brother is a very hard-working, proud citizen of this country who contributes to society.”
She added: “The only thing that provoked the attacker was the way he looked. He was attacked just because he’s Jewish. Thankfully he’s going to recover.” Mr Rand told ITV News people are “uncomfortable walking in the street” and “blaming the Government”.
He said: “People are really concerned, people are afraid, people are uncomfortable walking in the street, people are blaming obviously the government for not doing anything about what’s going on. It’s for the past few months really that our community is suffering from these type of attacks. And now it’s going on and trying to take people’s lives and it’s really terrible.”
When Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley arrived at the scene in Golders Green he was greeted with chants of “Shame on you” and “Go to Hell” and calls for him to resign.
The man was arrested after Jewish neighbourhood patrolmen confronted the the attacker, among them courageous Yonathan Elkouby, 33, who told the Mirror: “I rushed towards the stabbing scene and blocked the attacker with my vehicle. I jumped out and he came towards me brandishing a knife.”
“I did not have time to be afraid. I was wearing our uniform with black jacket and yellow so he may have thought I was the police. As he was wheeling around some other people pushed him down. So I am not a real hero. I did what I had to do.” Yonathan is a member of Shomrim – the volunteer group which helps to protect the area.”
He added: “I think all this comes about because people think it’s okay to attack Jews. Not enough is being done to stop it.” His colleague father of five Ben Grossnass, 40, said: “The first man stabbed was walking out of a synagogue very near the one where the ambulances were burned recently.”
“Then the attacker ran and saw an elderly man at a bus stop. He shoved the man to the ground and was repeatedly stabbing him. Heroes jumped on the attacker and overpowered him.”
Footage filmed on a mobile phone showed the moment police detained the suspect. It shows the suspect approaching the officers. One Tasers him, sending the suspect to the ground while shouting at him to drop the knife. While the suspect is lying on the floor, the officers kick the suspect in the head as they try to disarm him.
Commissioner Rowley said the officers “confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent and continued to pose a clear threat.
“These were not armed officers, and they feared that he was carrying an explosive device. Using only their training, their courage and their Tasers, they managed to detain him whilst he continued to try and attack and stab them.”
He went on: “My first thoughts are with the two British Jews, who were attacked whilst going about their daily lives, which they should be able to do freely and safely in their own local community. I also want to pay tribute to my officers, who were on the scene within a few minutes, and whose actions undoubtedly prevented further injury and saved lives.”
“I also want to recognise the extraordinary voluntary first responders from the community, including the Shomrim.” He warned of a rise in antisemitic violence being fuelled from abroad, adding: “Let me be clear, we’ve seen a rise in racist and antisemitic hate crime and whilst I can’t comment on my investigations, we know that some individuals are being encouraged, persuaded or paid to commit acts of violence on behalf of foreign organisations and hostile states.”
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said a “highly specialised” team of counterterrorism officers are working with the Met Police to “progress this investigation quickly”, and that one man has been arrested. He said: “Metropolitan Police officers responding to the incident, were also attacked, leading to the tasering and arrest of a 45-year-old man.”
“He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in police custody. Counter Terrorism Policing are leading the investigation. I can also confirm that this has now formally been declared a terrorist incident.”
“I want to make it clear that Counter Terrorism Policing and police forces up and down the country are mobilising to provide additional support and reassurance, and request that the public are vigilant and stand alongside communities who may be feeling worried this evening.”
He added that officers are also working with “partners in the security services to ensure we have a full intelligence picture”. “One of the lines of inquiry is whether this attack was deliberately targeting the Jewish community in London.”
Volunteers from Shomrim, which conducts civilian security patrols through Jewish communities, said they were on the scene ‘in a minute and a half’.
The chief rabbi said that Jewish people are now not safe on British streets. Sir Ephraim Mervis said: ”I’m sad to say that today’s event proves that if you are visibly Jewish you’re not safe, and far more needs to be done.” Last night Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (HAYI), an Islamist group believed to have ties to the Iranian regime, posted on Telegram to take credit for the attack.
The same group has also claimed responsibility for other arson attacks in the area. Buckingham Palace released a statement, which read: “His Majesty is being kept fully informed and is naturally deeply concerned, in particular about the impact for the Jewish community.”
