A police officer recalled the moment he had run away after a psychological swordsman, with just one baton to prevent more people from being injured or killed.
Inspector Moloy Campbell said that “there was no time for fear” as was on life line Marcus Monjo killed 14 -year -old Daniel Anjorin during a 20 -minute rampage at Henalt in East London on 30 April last year.
Before the arrival of Mr. Campbell, Monjo repeatedly hit PC Yasmin Mekem-Vitfield with one Samurai sword And was still on loose.
Mr. Campbell told the PA news agency: “When we were moving towards that incident, I was running a sergeant and I was on the operator seat.
“As we heard that the transmission ‘police officer stabbed, the police officer stabbed” I turned to him and said: “Just do not bring us there, do not speed up, do not let the red haze come to you. We need to reach there and get control of this incident.”
He said that his views were focused on the need to completely “preserve life”, His officers were included on the ground.
Mr. Campbell decided to face Monjo in a car park and ran away with baton in terrible scenes captured by police body-wise video.
He said: “There was no time for fear. It is not a reflection of my or anyone else’s bravery, it is a fact, there was no time for it.
“One thing has to be done and there was a purpose that needed to be fulfilled and it was, as I say, protection of life.
“There was no help at that point. Armed police They were coming, but they were 10, 15 minutes away and is very long in that situation.
“It is not the fault of my colleagues, it is only in the way of playing that morning.
“It was a matter of doing what I thought he needed to do. It was a decision whether we include the defendant or we encounter.
“The decision was faced because I felt that we had done something else, then more members of the public and potentially Police officer Would have been seriously injured or worse. ,
Mr. Campbell, who faced a slash wound in his hand, said that the “luck” and “good tendency” of the members of the public meant that more people were not killed by Monjo that day.
He said that he felt very proud of his team who managed to take the 37 -year -old suspect into custody.
He said, “We do what they did every day. We chase people with a knife. We chase people with aggressive weapons,” he said.
He said, “What do they do every day, so it was not surprising, but what he did and saved from the loss of life.
“I am proud of them every day and neither needed supervision nor direction to chase a man with a sword.
“But just as I say, there is probably a police officer in the country who is following someone with a knife or something.
“What we saw in Hanalt was in exceptional circumstances that way, but it is not uncommon to score goals with a knife at around 7 pm. It is not uncommon at all.”
At the work of his team, Mr. Campbell said: “They regularly get out of the parade and were sleeping two hours ago and switch to that mode.”
Asked if his bravery has made him a hero, he said: “I think it would be a little bitterly to describe himself as a hero. I think they know what I think of him whether he is a hero or not.”
On the effect of the Henalt attack, he said: “There is a lot of recovery for many officers in the context of the ongoing effect.
“However, three days later he returned to the car and he was responding to the same incident.
“I took more time because I was still recovering – I took four months leave and came back when I could use my hand again.
“The first call in the second innings’ came out in a park with a Samrai sword with a man and came out with gestures insisting on the public.”
“Still the same officer entered his car and went with blue lights and ran away at the person. The same officers who were involved in the other.
“I was on my way too – although my heart was beating a little quickly. It just goes to show that they were through it and, yes, they were impressed, but it does not distract them what they are doing and what they were doing.”
Mr. Campbell was sitting old Bailey During monjo Case of murder And was in court When he was found guilty on Wednesday.
On his response, he said: “All my views were for Daniel’s family. I spoke to my team and thanked him again and filled them on fine details.
“My views were for Daniel’s family, whom I am humble by incredible people. I think the jury came to the right decision.”
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said he was “incredibly proud” at the police response.
“The measure and severity of the attack was intense and quite widespread and throughout the event our authorities responded with courage, put their safety in second place, first tried to prevent losses to others, which were eventually detained by Monjo, showing great courage and bravery and teamwork.
“That type of phenomenon is rare, but there is no perception of our officials’ perception and perception of dangerous situations.
“Eighteen officers are attacked in London to deal with calls in one day. The behavior that our officials have displayed on that day are displayed every day, fearlessness, courage, self-sacrifice. Clearly, both mooloy and Yasmin had to face serious injuries, resulting in attempts to save others from harm and our officials took that action every day.”
Speaking in front of Monjo’s sentence on Friday, Mr. Bell paid tribute to school children, who lost their lives.
He said: “Daniel was universally described as a talented, gentle young man, with a great ability to ahead of him, who loved so many people.
“His untimely death is a tragedy and the words do not come close to tell how sad Daniels are, how sad, how much random events.
“His family is nothing, but the most incredible courage is dignified, flexible and treated and we are in astonishment of them.
“Whatever we could do, he was trying to bring some form of justice with Daniel and family and now give them a place to move forward and mourn.”
Mr. Bell said that the works of Monjo were inspired by canbis and even though it was a concern that he was made aware of extreme ideas. Social media -There was no evidence including remote-doer and Incel ideology that he had implemented anything seen online.
Despite efforts to get down on the sale of online knife, Monjo legally bought an expensive handmade Katana sword.
