Woman arrested after four men stabbed in Covent Garden

A 47-year-old woman remained in police custody following a lunchtime stabbing attack that injured four men with a pair of scissors on Endell Street in Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. The violent episode disrupted the busy central London district during the midday rush, sending emergency responders streaming into the West End tourist hub and prompting a rapid police intervention that ended with the suspect detained on the ground by officers.

While law enforcement officials characterized the episode as an isolated, mental health-related event, local business operators and workers reported recognizing the suspect as a familiar neighborhood presence who had exhibited erratic behavior previously. The clash left four male victims injured, drawing an extensive emergency response that temporarily paralyzed traffic and reshaped the atmosphere of the bustling thoroughfare.

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The sequence of events began shortly after 12:27 BST near the Shaftesbury Theatre. Witnesses reported that a woman began attacking people indiscriminately near the theatre before moving along Endell Street towards High Holborn. One victim sought refuge inside a local barbershop, where employees assisted him in calling emergency services after he fled inside with a severe gash in his back. Matt Bishop, a 42-year-old worker at a nearby consultancy firm, witnessed the unfolding confrontation as three police officers converged on the suspect near a street crossroads. Bishop described the woman as waving a weapon, appearing confused, and shouting incoherently while engaging in a brief standoff with officers before being brought to the ground.

The London Ambulance Service dispatched an ambulance crew, a fast-response paramedic, an incident response officer, and London’s Air Ambulance, which landed in nearby Trafalgar Square. All four patients were ultimately transported to a major trauma centre by road. The victims were identified by police as men aged 34, 39, 42, and 52. Metropolitan Police later confirmed that two of the men had been discharged from the hospital, while the remaining two were treated for injuries not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

Emergency responders and investigators concentrated much of their activity around a building on the corner of High Holborn and Endell Street operated by the homelessness charity St Mungo’s. Police recovered an offensive weapon at the scene, which officials identified as a large pair of scissors.

Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart issued a statement seeking to calm public apprehension. Officers responded within minutes of this incident after receiving a number of reports, Stewart said via X, as reported by the Bbc and The Guardian. While still at an early stage of the investigation, we would like to reassure the community that we currently believe this to be an isolated, mental health-related incident.

That official framing contrasted sharply with accounts from workers along Endell Street who claimed the suspect was already known to them through prior street encounters. Arjan Gjorga, manager of the Rock and Sole Plaice restaurant, stated that he saw the woman frequently. I see her all the time, she’s a homeless person, Gjorga said, adding that she walked up and down asking for help and visiting a nearby church. Gjorga noted that the victims appeared to have been selected at random. Similarly, Andrea, the manager of the Da Mario restaurant, told reporters that his staff recognized the woman from previous incidents on the street, alleging she had previously thrown a vodka bottle that smashed outside the establishment.

Police have not verified these local accounts of prior behavior or commented on the suspect's history. By late afternoon, authorities lifted all police cordons and road closures on Endell Street, allowing traffic and pedestrians to return to normal as investigators continued reviewing CCTV footage from businesses across the Covent Garden district.

The 47-year-old suspect remains in police custody under arrest on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault, with no formal motive disclosed beyond early police enquiries.

Charity Response and Investigation Logistics

Investigators concentrated part of their activity on a building situated on the corner of High Holborn and Endell Street operated by the homelessness charity St Mungo’s, where officers were observed speaking with individuals before entering the premises. A spokesperson for St Mungo’s stated that the organisation was cooperating with emergency services while declining to confirm whether any person connected to the charity was involved in the incident, offering thoughts to everyone affected by the distress.

• St Mungo’s confirmed it was working alongside emergency services following the attack.
• Police activity and inquiries were directed toward the charity's building on Endell Street.
• The Metropolitan Police have not disclosed an official motive while inquiries continue.
• Detectives are reviewing CCTV footage from businesses across the Covent Garden district.

As forensic teams and local officers examined the area, the Metropolitan Police maintained that no wider threat to the public existed following the reopening of the thoroughfare. Detectives continue to interview witnesses and analyze recovered footage as the next step in establishing the full sequence of events.