The BOCU commander of Haringey and Enfield, Chief Superintendent Helen Millichap, has today [Tuesday 2 April] provided an updated statement on the series of stabbings in the Edmonton area.

She said: “We continue to investigate five serious stabbing incidents that have occurred in the N18 area of Edmonton, the first taking place around 19:00hrs on Saturday and the most recent around 05:00 on the morning of Tuesday 2 April. 

“I am aware that these events have caused a huge amount of worry and concern among the community, and our thoughts are with the victims and their families.

“The locations of times of the separate incidents have been reported in detail in public already and the first thing I would like to do is appeal to anyone who may at these times have seen or noticed anything suspicious, however small it might seem, to come forward and talk to police about it, whether that’s one of the officers who are currently conducting extra patrols in the area, to our incident room, or through Crimestoppers.

“The actions of the suspect, the fact they are in a similar area, and the descriptions given, mean that we are potentially looking at just one individual perpetrator. However, until the investigation has developed further and we are in a position to speak with certainty about this, I have a duty to ask the public to remain vigilant and to please continue to report anything suspicious to us.

“As you will have heard, we made an arrest this morning [Tuesday 2 April] within a few hours of the most recent offence. This is a live investigation and it is too soon to make any further comment about the significance of this arrests, which is why we are continuing to advise the public to remain alert, and why we must continue to follow up all possible lines of enquiry in relation to these incidents.

“I want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to keep the public safe. Extra police and specialist resources, both uniform and in plain clothes, are in the Edmonton area and will continue to work tirelessly. We are also working closely with our colleagues in other units in the Met.

“The investigation is progressing at pace and there is a well-resourced, experienced team, who are working fast time on this. It is important to take into consideration that there are five crime scenes, meaning that there is a significant amount of cctv and forensic material to collate and assess, which officers are working to process as fast as possible.”

Police continue to conduct reassurance patrols in the affected areas and a section 60 power has also been granted for three wards in the borough of Enfield.

The first incident involved a 45-year-old woman [Victim 1] who was stabbed at 19:02hrs on Saturday, 30 March on Aberdeen Road, N18. She was taken by the London Ambulance Service to an east London hospital where she remains, having sustained a stab wound to her back. She has now been deemed to have life-changing injuries (we are not releasing specific details on these at this time).

The second incident took place four hours later at approximately 00:15hrs on Sunday, 31 March on Park Avenue, N18. A 52-year-old man [Victim 2] was suffering from stab injuries. He was taken to an east London hospital for treatment and has since been discharged.

The third incident, at 03:55hrs on Sunday, 31 March, occurred close to Seven Sisters Underground Station. A 23-year-old man [Victim 3] was taken to hospital. Initial enquiries have established that the victim may have sustained his injuries on Silver Street. After treatment, he has now been discharged.

The fourth incident took place at 09:43hrs on Brettenham Road, N18. A 29-year-old man [Victim 4] was found a stab injury to the back. He was also taken to hospital where he remains receiving treatment for injuries that are not life-threatening, but potentially life-changing.

Earlier today, Tuesday 2 April, police were called at approximately 05:05hrs to reports of a man stabbed in Aberdeen Road, N18, where a man, [Victim 5], believed to be aged in his 30s, was found to be suffering a stab injury. He is reported to have been attacked in Fairfield Road, but then made his way to Aberdeen Road, where he was assisted by a member of the public prior to police arrival. The victim was taken to an east London hospital; at this time his condition is still assessed as critical.

Two men were previously arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. The first man was arrested on Fore Street, N9 at 10:53hrs on Sunday, 31 March. He has now been released under investigation in relation to the stabbing incidents, but has been charged with separated unrelated offences.

A second man, believed aged in his 40s, was arrested in the street in Edmonton at approximately 17:00hrs on Sunday, 31 March. Police have been granted an extension to question him until the morning of Wednesday 3 April.

A third man aged in his 30s was arrested in the Edmonton Green area this morning [Tuesday 2 April] on suspicion of attempted murder, and taken into custody at a north London police station, where he remains.