A manhunt is underway for a hooded knifeman after four people were stabbed from behind in a 'random' 12-hour rampage in north London.
Police have warned the public to be on their guard following the stabbings in Edmonton from Saturday night into Sunday morning, which left a 45-year-old woman fighting for her life.
The knifeman described as a tall, skinny, black man, wearing a hood and dark clothing, approached all of the people from behind in what police said was random attacks not linked to terrorism.
The first stabbing left a 45-year-old woman in 'critical condition' after she was knifed in the back on Aberdeen Road, just after 7pm yesterday evening.
Just hours later, a man was stabbed shortly after midnight in Park Avenue and was rushed to hospital with non-life threatening wounds.
A 23-year-old man was then stabbed at Silver Street, Edmonton, before being found at around 3.55am at Seven Sisters tube station and remains in a stable condition.
Following this, an unidentified man was knifed in the back in another 'bloodbath attack' this morning just a quarter of a mile from where the woman was stabbed.
He was taken to hospital and suffered potentially life-changing injuries.
It comes after a 22-year-old man was shot this morning in Walthamstow, London, at around 2.50am on Penrhyn Avenue.
He was rushed to an east London hospital but his condition is not thought to be life threatening and no arrests have been made.
Police are treating the four stabbings as potentially linked but say the victims appear to have been selected at random due to them being 'alone and vulnerable'.
Detectives are appealing for information and urging the public to stay vigilant following the series of stabbings in the Edmonton area.
One man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH at 10:53am in Fore Street.
Enquiries continue to establish if he is the individual behind these incidents.
DCI Stuart Smillie from North Area Command said: 'The four victims are all from different backgrounds and appear to have been selected at random due to them being alone and vulnerable. There is nothing to suggest this incident is terror related.
'We are working on the hypothesis that the single male suspect is acting alone and mental health issues may be a factor.
'All of the people he has targeted have been walking alone and he has approached from behind without warning.'
He added: 'Members of the public who have information about this suspect or have spotted someone acting suspiciously who matches his description are advised to call police on 999 and not to approach the man.
'His description has been circulated to all officers in North Area who are carrying out patrols, CCTV footage enquiries and policing busy areas around where the incidents took place, particularly where he was last seen where police arrived four minutes after the call to police was made.'
The detective continued: 'My advice to the public in the area where these incidents took place stay vigilant, be aware of your surroundings and call 999 if you see anyone matching the suspects description behaving suspiciously.'
This article has been adapted from its original source.
