'Miracle' of Brixton stabbing survivors

The unprovoked Brixton triple stabbing could have resulted in many people being killed, a police officer said today.

Olowasegun Emanuel Turner, aged 44, has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after the knife rampage.

Turner, who is believed to have mental health problems, was wielding two carving knives, each a foot long, and the police said it was a miracle lives were not lost.

Two of the victims have been named as Catherine Aitkin, 86, and Elvin McFarlane, 31. The third victim, a 10-year-old boy, has not been identified at the request of his family.

The victims are all in a stable condition, however, the man has undergone extensive surgery at King's College Hospital following the attack just after 1pm on Sunday in the heart of Brixton.

Pc Pat Byrne and probationer Pc Simon Andrews, who were wearing body armour, had first confronted the suspect in Electric Avenue. Pc Byrne said: "It was less than a minute from when he was challenged to when the people were stabbed."

Brixton-based Pc Byrne, 42, told how he approached the suspect who had one knife in his hand but then reached into his jacket and pulled out another blade. He said: " Officers were trying their utmost to save lives. People were in serious shock."

Sgt Mark Gray, 35, said: "I have never seen anything like it before - it all happened so quickly. It was a sight people have never seen before and will hopefully never see again."

The officers were joined by colleagues and overpowered him using batons and CS gas. Detectives are studying CCTV footage and are appealing for a woman who was seen taking photographs from a compact camera to come forward.