A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a knife attack in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Monday night, according to the police.
The man, who the police described as in his 30s and believed to be Somali, is alleged to have attacked another man, in his 40s. The victim is currently in the hospital in serious condition, the police said.
Ryan Henderson, assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said in a statement on Tuesday that the police were still working to determine a motive. He said officers were at the scene within minutes.
“This brutal attack will have sent shock waves through the community, causing real concern,” he said. “I want to reassure the local community that we are treating this attack with the utmost seriousness.”
The police urged people not to share the clip of the attack because “doing so risks causing further trauma to the injured man’s loved ones and may impact the ongoing investigation.”
Graphic video footage of the attack spread quickly on social media and prompted outrage from some commenters. In the clip, a bystander can be seen approaching the attacker and battering him with a hurley, a long wooden stick used in the Irish sport of hurling.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain called the incident “sickening,” adding that he would have “absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.”
“My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who intervened,” Mr. Starmer said.
This is a developing story and will update.
