Man arrested after girl, 11, and woman, 34, stabbed in Leicester Square
A man has been put under arrest after an 11-year-old girl and a 34-year-old woman were stabbed in London's Leicester Square today (12 August).
Following the crime, the Metropolitan Police stated that the victims have been taken to hospital, though did not disclose how injured they were, or what state they were in.
The perpetrator has been apprehended and is believed to be the sole suspect.
In a statement shared by the Westminister Police on X, they said: “Officers are at the scene of a stabbing in Leicester Square.
“A man has been arrested and is in custody.
“We don’t believe there are any outstanding suspects.
“Two victims, an 11-year-old girl and a 34-year-old woman, have been taken to hospital and we await an update on their condition.”
At least six police officers currently remain at the scene of the crime in central London, which is a popular tourist destination.
Following the incident, a police cordon has been put in place with police tape surrounding the double doors of the TWG Tea shop, with the cordon beside the LEGO store and in front of the M&M store.
Despite this, families and tourists are continuing to queue up for both.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson explained that they were called at 11.36am after reports of a stabbing in Leicester Square.
They said: "We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic and an incident response officer. We also dispatched members of our tactical response unit.
"We treated a child and an adult at the scene and took them to a major trauma centre."
Behind the crime scene tape, objects could be seen on the ground, as a few people gathered nearby to form a small crowd.
Leicester Square is known to welcome approximately two and a half million visitors per week, serving as one of the British capital's most popular areas among visitors, tourists and London residents.
The West End is located in the bustling London area, as well as several stores such as the aforementioned M&M and LEGO stores, which usually have lines waiting to go in.
Joshua Nair