One dead, two injured in West London stabbing incident; suspect arrested

London: A man has been arrested following a stabbing attack in west London that left one person dead and two others injured, the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Tuesday. Officers have ruled out terrorism as a motive.

The attack took place in Uxbridge, where emergency services were called to the scene. A 49-year-old man was pronounced dead, while a 45-year-old man suffered serious injuries. A 14-year-old boy was also hurt, though his injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Chief Superintendent Jill Horsfall described the incident as “a shocking and senseless act of violence”.

While several UK media outlets reported that the suspect is an Afghan national, the Home Office stated only that he is a foreigner who has been legally resident in the UK since 2022. The ministry confirmed that he arrived in Britain in 2020, entering the country in a lorry, and was granted asylum two years later.

The Home Office also rejected social media claims that the man had been living in government-funded accommodation, saying he was not residing in a hotel or other asylum housing at the time of the attack.

The case comes amid heightened tensions over immigration and asylum in Britain. In recent months, hotels used to house asylum seekers have been targeted by protests, following the conviction of an Ethiopian man for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman. That case intensified anti-immigrant sentiment, sparking demonstrations, riots and a wave of inflammatory online content.

Police are continuing to investigate any possible links between the suspect and the victims.

AFP