Volunteer Detains Suspect in Golders Green Stabbing
A volunteer has recounted how he pursued and restrained the suspect involved in Wednesday's stabbing attack in Golders Green, north London, which resulted in two men being hospitalized.
Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, were stabbed during the incident and are currently in stable condition. Authorities have arrested 45-year-old Essa Suleiman on suspicion of attempted murder; he remains in custody.
Volunteer’s Account of the Incident
Isaac, a volunteer with the community security organisation Shomrim, was leaving his office when he heard a disturbance and exited his vehicle. He immediately noticed a man with blood on his head.
"If eyes could kill, I'd be dead," Isaac told the BBC, describing his encounter with the suspect.
After being informed that the suspect was armed with a knife, Isaac followed him along Golders Green Road for approximately 100 yards, maintaining a close but cautious distance.
"He was walking slowly, casually," Isaac said, "but I saw the blade in his hand."
Isaac also shouted warnings to bystanders to keep clear of the area.
Police Intervention and Restraint
When police arrived near the North Circular Road and sirens sounded, the suspect reportedly became agitated.
Isaac recalled the suspect went "a bit berserk."
Officers deployed a Taser to subdue the individual, but he continued to grip the knife. At this point, Isaac and another volunteer intervened to assist.
"I was holding onto his ankle, making sure that he couldn't move his leg, his left leg," Isaac explained, adding this was to prevent the suspect from "wriggle[ing] away."
A passerby and police officers then managed to remove the knife from the suspect's hand.
Volunteer’s Motivation and Reflections
Isaac stated that his instinct was always to act in such situations, reflecting the ethos of his volunteer role.
"If we find danger, we run toward it, we don't run away, we never run away," he said.
He expressed a sense of accomplishment for his role in protecting the community.
"I felt amazing for saving the community and saving lives," Isaac added.
Suspect’s Background
The Metropolitan Police reported that the suspect has a "history of serious violence and mental health issues." He was referred to the government’s counter-terrorism Prevent programme in 2020.
A police spokesperson confirmed that the suspect's referral to Prevent was closed in the same year.
