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Hampton Sainsbury's stabbing: Attacker seemed 'on drugs' and 'only went for the women'

'He was moving around seemingly at random just going from one person to the next,' says a witness 

Matt Payton
Friday 20 May 2016 17:03 EDT
Forensic teams analysing bloody clothes at the scene of the stabbing
Forensic teams analysing bloody clothes at the scene of the stabbing (Sky News)

Witnesses to a multiple stabbing in a Sainsbury's car park have said the attacker "appeared out of it", adding that he "only went for women".

Four women were stabbed in the chest, legs and back at the Hampton supermarket in south-west London.

One of the women was taken by air ambulance to hospital where she is being treated for life-threatening injuries.

A man in his 60s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and is being held in a nearby police station.

Police said the man had been arrested in connection with a separate incident on Thursday at Kensington High Street.

He was charged with possessing a knife and assaulting a police officer and released on bail on Friday morning ahead of a court date next month.

A female eyewitness, who did not want to be identified, said: "The attacker only went for the women.

"The man ran through and started attacking them. It didn't seem like they knew him it was completely unprovoked.

"One lady is in very bad condition, she had to be air-ambulanced out."

If the attack had occurred "10 or 20 minutes" earlier, there would have been children present as a primary school is right next to the car park, she said.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, added: "He appeared to be out of it, on drugs or crazy. He must have been very angry to go out and unprovokedly stab those women.

"The woman who was badly stabbed in the back made it up to the police station and raised the alarm.

"She is well-known locally and always goes shopping there all the time."

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police has said the attack is not believed to be terror-related.

PA contributed to this report.

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