An American woman killed in a knife attack in London on Wednesday night was the wife of an eminent psychology professor at Florida State University (FSU), the university said in a statement on Thursday.
Advertisement
Police arrested a 19-year-old suspect and said that early indications suggested that “mental health was a factor in this horrific attack”.
Horton was pronounced dead at the scene. An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said two Australians, a man and a woman, were injured in the attack; the man was hospitalized and released, and the woman will be releasde soon, she said.
He went on: ‘The moment the police arrived, they asked them if the man had been shouting.
Rowley also confirmed to the press that while the investigation is not yet through that the authorities believed that the attacked was caused by mental health issues and that the attack was an unplanned attack and that the victims were selected arbitrarily.
An undated handout picture released by Britain’s Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on August 4, 2016 shows USA woman Darlene Horton, the victim of an attack in central London on Wednesday, August 3, 2016. In January, mentally ill Muhiddin Mire tried to behead a London Underground passenger, shouting that he was doing it “for Syria”. He said the police have spoken to relevant embassies and will do everything possible to support them.
Scotland Yard said the suspect, who has not been named, was treated in the hospital and is now in custody at a police station in south London.
A 19-year-old Norwegian national of Somali origin was arrested on suspicion of murder after the attack on Wednesday night. She was the wife of a psychology professor at the Florida State University.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said police were seeking “to establish the full facts including motives” for the attack and urged the city’s residents to stay calm but alert.
The area of the attack, Russell Square, reportedly is a busy area for tourists, including hotels, cafes and souvenir shops.
Advertisement
The rampage came just days after police warned Londoners to be vigilant, and hours after the force said it was putting more armed officers on the streets to bolster public confidence after a summer of attacks elsewhere in Europe.
