A quiet residential neighbourhood in Elm Park was thrown into chaos last night after a gang of youths believed to be armed with knives stormed a primary school and launched a violent attack during a school event.

The shocking scenes unfolded at Elm Park Primary School, where a special evening event was taking place. Eyewitnesses reported screams and panic as the gang entered the premises and began attacking other youths, causing widespread fear and panic among attendees and local residents.

Witnesses Describe ‘Total Chaos’

Local residents described the terrifying moments as dozens of terrified youths fled the school grounds, while police scrambled to respond to the unfolding violence.

One resident from Maylands Avenue, where some of the suspects were seen fleeing, told The Havering Daily:

“It was total chaos. We saw between 40 to 50 youths running through the streets. We think they had knives—some of them were seen dropping weapons in people’s driveways before running away. They were attacking the police too, and there were so many of them that officers had no choice but to try and disperse the crowd.”

“Our road is normally so quiet. Things like this don’t happen here. We were shocked. The police closed off the street for a long time and told us a serious incident had taken place.”

Police Response and Investigation

Police reportedly responded in large numbers, but the scale of the incident overwhelmed initial efforts, with officers reportedly forced to disperse the gang due to the sheer number of individuals involved.

No official statement has yet been released by Metropolitan Police, but an investigation is believed to be underway. It is not yet known if any arrests have been made or if there were any injuries reported during the incident.

Community in Shock

The incident has left parents, residents, and school staff deeply shaken, with many questioning how such a violent disturbance could occur at a primary school event.

Social media has since been flooded with community reactions, with several users calling for increased police patrols and better security measures at schools in the area.

Call for Information

Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the incident, has mobile phone footage, or found discarded weapons to come forward. More details are expected from police as the investigation progresses.

This disturbing event has raised fresh concerns about youth violence and knife crime, with community leaders likely to demand urgent action in the wake of the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers.