'I jumped on him': Guard disarms Leicester Square knifeman after two stabbed

A security guard describes the moment he tackled the knifeman who attacked two people in Leicester Square

A man has been arrested after an 11-year-old girl and a 34-year-old woman were stabbed in Leicester Square in central London on Monday.

Both victims have been taken to hospital and a 32-year-old man has been arrested, police have confirmed.

Police said the 11-year-old girl does not have life-threatening injuries but will require hospital treatment, while the second victim suffered more minor injuries.

The force said the man in police custody is believed to be the only suspect, and there is no suggestion the incident was terror-related.

A shop security guard gave first aid to the 11-year-old at the scene, and managed to fight off her attacker.

The guard, who gave his name as Abdullah, 29, and works at TWG Tea shop in the square, said: “I heard a scream, at that moment I saw there was one person, and he was like, stabbing a kid.

“I jumped on him, held the hand in which he was (carrying) a knife, and just put him down on the floor and just held him and took the knife away from him.”

Police officers at the scene in Leicester Square, London. / Credit: PA

Abdullah said he and his colleagues gave first aid to the child before the police took over and that he did not know if the girl was with family members at the time.

“I just saw a kid getting stabbed and I just tried to save her. It’s my duty to just save them,” he said.

London Ambulance Service said it was called at 11.36am on Monday, August 12 to reports of a stabbing at Leicester Square.

“We treated a child and an adult at the scene and took them to a major trauma centre,” a spokesperson said.

A police cordon is in place and several officers are reportedly at the scene.

Leicester Square attracts an estimated 2.5 million visitors every week and is home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants.