A 32-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder following the shocking stabbing of an 11-year-old girl in Leicester Square, London, on August 12.
The incident occurred around 11:34 a.m. in the bustling pedestrian area of the West End, where police responded to reports of a stabbing. The young girl was found with serious stab wounds and was swiftly taken to the hospital. Her injuries, though serious, have been assessed as non-life-threatening.
The girl’s 34-year-old mother was initially thought to have been injured as well, but it was later clarified that the blood on her was from her daughter’s injuries.
Ioan Pintaru, 32, of no fixed address, has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning.
Images obtained by The Sun showed police arresting Pintaru at the scene shortly after the attack. Authorities have confirmed that Pintaru is not known to either of the victims, and the incident is not currently being treated as terror-related.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who oversees policing for Westminster, condemned the attack and praised the bravery of members of the public and local business staff who intervened during the incident. This is a horrific incident, and our thoughts are with the victims and their family. We will continue to provide support to them over the coming days and weeks,” she said.
Jessah added, “I would like to pay tribute to the members of the public, including staff from local businesses, who bravely intervened in this incident. They put themselves at risk and showed the best of London in doing so.
The investigation into the motive behind the attack is ongoing, with police urging anyone with information to come forward.
