One dead, seven injured after attacks in Birmingham, say police
By Thomas Cronenberg and Niels C Sorrells,
London - By Thomas Cronenberg and Niels C Sorrells, - One man was killed and seven others were injured, two of them seriously, after a stabbing attack early on Sunday in the central English city of Birmingham, police said.
Police arrested a 27-year-old man in Birmingham on suspicion of murder and attempted murder early Monday in connection with the stabbings after working overnight to identify and trace a suspect
.
Graham earlier said that police were only looking for one suspect, adding that he said the stabbings were "not motivated by hate."
There is "absolutely no suggestion at all that this is terror-related" and victims attacked in Birmingham appear to have been chosen at random," said chief superintendent Steve Graham of West Midlands Police, the PA news agency reported.
A murder investigation has been launched.
None of those injured are considered to be in life-threatening condition, but one man and one woman "suffered critical injuries," West Midlands Police said in a statement.
"We can confirm that at approximately 12:30 am today [2330 GMT on Saturday] we were called to reports of a stabbing in Birmingham city centre," West Midlands Police tweeted earlier on Sunday.
"We immediately attended, along with colleagues from the ambulance service. A number of other stabbings were reported in the area shortly after," they added.
According to the British Press Associaton, the series of stabbings took place in a 90-minute spree in the city centre.
Police asked people to remain calm but vigilant, and to stay away from the area.
In unrelated events, five people in London were arrested after five stabbings, also on Saturday night.
One person was seriously injured in Bexleyheath town in the greater London area, according to a police tweet.
Five suspects were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, police said and appealed for witnesses.
There is "absolutely no suggestion at all that this is terror-related" and victims attacked in Birmingham appear to have been chosen at random," said chief superintendent Steve Graham of West Midlands Police, the PA news agency reported.
A murder investigation has been launched.
None of those injured are considered to be in life-threatening condition, but one man and one woman "suffered critical injuries," West Midlands Police said in a statement.
"We can confirm that at approximately 12:30 am today [2330 GMT on Saturday] we were called to reports of a stabbing in Birmingham city centre," West Midlands Police tweeted earlier on Sunday.
"We immediately attended, along with colleagues from the ambulance service. A number of other stabbings were reported in the area shortly after," they added.
According to the British Press Associaton, the series of stabbings took place in a 90-minute spree in the city centre.
Police asked people to remain calm but vigilant, and to stay away from the area.
In unrelated events, five people in London were arrested after five stabbings, also on Saturday night.
One person was seriously injured in Bexleyheath town in the greater London area, according to a police tweet.
Five suspects were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, police said and appealed for witnesses.