A Brazilian man with dual Spanish nationality, Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzoa, has been charged with murder for a sword attack in London that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old teenager. The attack, which lasted 22 minutes, also left four other people injured, including two police officers.
The incident occurred in a town in northeast London around 7 in the morning. According to reports, Monzoa attacked multiple individuals, including a man who suffered neck injuries and a computer engineer who was stabbed while defending his family. He then proceeded to murder Daniel Anjorin, a 14-year-old on his way to school and nearly severed a police officer’s arm.
Monzoa appeared in court charged with Anjorin’s murder as well as two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated robbery, and possession of a sharp object. The investigation into the attack is considered complex due to the number of crime scenes and forensic evidence that authorities have to analyze. Video surveillance recordings from various locations are being analyzed as part of the investigation.
The motive for the attack is currently unclear; however, authorities have ruled out any terrorist link. The incident comes amidst rising concerns about knife attacks in the UK and just days before local elections in London. The heroism of those who intervened to protect others during the attack has been praised, including Henry De Los Ríos Polania who was injured while defending his family.
