47-year-old woman arrested after stabbing four men in Covent Garden

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the victims – aged 34, 39, 42 and 52 – were taken to a major trauma centre as a priority by road. A statement from the London Ambulance Service added that “we treated four patients at the scene and took them all to a major trauma centre as a priority by road.”

Two of the men remain hospitalised, but the force said their injuries are not believed to be life‑threatening or life‑changing. The other two have already been discharged.

Media additions

What officials said

Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in the area, told reporters that officers arrived “within minutes of this incident after receiving a number of reports.” He stressed that “while still at an early stage of the investigation, we would like to reassure the community that we currently believe this to be an isolated, mental‑health related incident.” Stewart also promised a continued “visible police presence” while evidence is gathered.

The Metropolitan Police said a pair of scissors was recovered at the scene and that the woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. The force described the episode as “mental‑health related,” echoing Stewart’s assessment.

London’s emergency services deployed a full complement of resources. In addition to the ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast‑response car and an incident response officer were dispatched, and the London Air Ambulance landed in Trafalgar Square – though all four victims were transported by road, as noted by both the BBC and Yahoo News.

Witness accounts

Matt Bishop, a 42‑year‑old consultant who works next to the cordon that was erected on High Holborn, described a “stand‑off” between the woman and three officers. He said he saw the woman “running down the road towards the crossroads” and noted that she appeared “quite old, short hair” and was “pretty incoherent” in what she was shouting. Bishop recalled an officer asking, “what language she was shouting.”

“I didn’t see the stabbing. I saw her running down the road towards the crossroads. She looked quite old, short hair. She was pretty incoherent in what she was shouting, the officer was asking what language she was shouting.”

Matt Bishop, consultant, via BBC

A diner at a nearby Byron restaurant told reporters that “lots of people panicked and fled.” She said she was “around 50 yards away” and heard someone shout, “she’s stabbing people with scissors.” The same diner added that the street remained sealed off when she returned from a class she had booked, confirming the continued cordon around the St Mungo’s homeless centre.

Another witness speaking to Nottingham Post recalled hearing a man yell, “she’s stabbing people with scissors,” underscoring the confusion that spread through the crowd.

Timeline of the incident

• 12:30 BST – Emergency services receive multiple reports of a stabbing on Endell Street.

Discrepancies in reporting

The Nottingham Post noted that police initially said three people had been stabbed, but later updated the statement to four. Both the Bbc and Yahoo News reported four victims from the start.

Context and next steps

While the investigation remains in its early stages, authorities have pledged to keep a “visible police presence” in Covent Garden while forensic evidence is collected.