The woman killed in a mass stabbing in London's Russell Square has been named as American citizen Darlene Horton.
A statement issued by Florida State University (FSU), where Mrs Horton's husband Richard Wagner works as a psychology scholar, said the couple were in London for a summer course.
They were due to return to the US today.
FSU President John Thrasher said: "There are no words to express our heartache over this terrible tragedy."
It comes after the 19-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder following the knife attack in central London was named by Sky sources as Zakaria Bulhan.
The victim has been named as 64-year-old American Darlene Horton
The Norwegian national, who is believed to suffer from mental health problems, remains in custody.
Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said Bulhan is believed to be of Somali descent and emigrated to the UK in 2002 with his family.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said it appeared terrorism was not a motive in the Russell Square attack.
He said: "Whilst the investigation is not yet complete, all of the work we have done so far increasingly points to this tragic incident having been triggered by mental health issues."
Mr Rowley described it as a "spontaneous attack and the victims were selected at random".
A body is removed from the scene in Russell Square
Police were called to reports of an armed man attacking people at 10.33pm on Wednesday.
Bulhan was arrested on suspicion of murder six minutes later after being taken out by a Taser.
An unnamed woman in her 60s, now confirmed as an American national, was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later.
The other victims were a British man, an American man, an Australian man, an Australian woman, and an Israeli woman.
The Briton remains in hospital, while the four other injured people have been discharged.
Police have interviewed the suspect, spoken to his family, talked to witnesses and searched properties in north and south London, including the 19-year-old's home.
Mr Rowley said "so far we have found no evidence of radicalisation".
As a precautionary measure Mr Rowley said extra police would be deployed in London on Thursday to provide reassurance.
Speaking to Sky News, London Mayor Sadiq Khan praised the quick police response to the incident, adding: "London is no less safe today than it has been in the recent past."
He said: "London is safe. The police have been working their socks off since the first call was made to the police.
"There is no evidence at all that this man was motivated as a consequence of Daesh or similar sorts ... of groups.
appear to be somebody who had mental mental health problems, according to the police."
A cyclist passing Russell Square shortly after the stabbing was flagged down by a Spanish family helping the victims.
Fernando, from Brazil, saw a woman in her 60s with a stab wound to her back.
He told Sky News: "She had her head in a Spanish woman's lap, the lady, who was trying to keep her alive by talking to her."
Fernando also saw an Englishman aged about 45 with an injury to his side and a woman in her 20s with a wound on her upper arm.
"The lady from the Spanish family told me that the guy had passed by, running, stabbing people," he said.
said he had been wearing black shorts and a white t-shirt and was chubby.
"Apparently he wasn't shouting anything."
Pol O'Geibheannigh was walking back from the cinema when he saw a woman lying in a pool of blood.
He told Sky News: "It was just wall to wall with armed police. You could see a woman on the floor.
"She was lying in a pool of blood with a red blanket on top of her. I went into the bar and it wasn't until an hour later that they put the tent up."
As morning broke officials were seen removing a body bag from the area.
Tommaso Greco, 26, who works in Pret opposite the scene, said: "I am a little bit worried, for sure. Because it could happen to anyone. They were just in the middle of the street. And here, generally, there are a lot of people. It is a tourist area."
He added that staff at the shop had initially been told that it would not open today, but that later changed.
:: Anyone with information about the Russell Square attack is asked to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
No comments:
Post a Comment