Bishopsgate: Three hurt in City of London phone-snatch stabbings

Three people were treated in hospital after being stabbed during an attempted phone robbery in the City of London.

The BBC was told the victim of a "phone snatch" was injured after fighting back, along with other members of the public who stepped in to help.

An eyewitness said he saw "two or three teenagers" on bicycles watching a middle-aged man before they grabbed him, with a knifeman wearing a mask.

Part of Bishopsgate was cordoned off, near to Camomile Street.

The witness, who did not want to give his name, said passers-by had become involved and a man had jumped off a moped and intervened during the attack on Thursday morning, adding that the moped rider and the middle-aged man had both been stabbed.

Police confirmed the case was being treated as a suspected robbery and two suspects were being sought.

London Ambulance Service (LAS) said paramedics had treated four patients at the scene, with three of those taken to hospital. Their injuries are said to be non life-threatening.

A cordon, about 50m (160ft) long, was put in place outside the location, at 22 Bishopsgate.

Inside the police tape, medical kits and clothing could earlier be seen spread out on the ground in small piles, and blood was visible on the pavement.

The eyewitness said he had seen one of the teenagers "grabbing" the victim.

"The next thing I saw, was this teenager grabbing this guy, this middle-aged man. Things escalated so quickly," he said.

"Pedestrians got involved and they were trying to help the middle-aged man. I heard lots of screams and shouts.

"The next minute, a man on a white moped saw what happened and jumped off, and got himself involved.

"There was a fight with these teenagers. Out of nowhere, the guy on the moped got stabbed.

"The middle-aged man was already on the floor at this point after he got stabbed, and another pedestrian got hurt too, his head was hurt.

"The teenagers then just took off."

Sayeed Dukanwala, owner of BK News newsagent, near the scene, also saw events unfold.

He said: "I was here in my shop working when I saw some guys running past my shop and shouting 'Oi oi oi'.

"After a few minutes I saw a fight break out over there and people running away.

"Then some people came in and told me there was a stabbing. They said there was a man and a lady on the floor, and there was blood."

Nickie Aiken, Cities of London and Westminster MP, said she was "concerned" about the attack.

She tweeted: "I'm in contact with City Police for updates.

"My thoughts are with all those involved including the first responders."

Ch Supt Steve Heatley, of the City of London Police, said: "We received reports of three stabbings and a person pushed to the floor on Bishopsgate at 9.46am and officers arrived at the scene at 9.51am.

"Three victims were taken by London Ambulance Service to a nearby hospital to be treated; they do not have life-threatening injuries.

"Two suspects are being sought as part of the ongoing investigation related to an attempted phone theft and is not being treated as terror-related."

The building of 22 Bishopsgate remains open and workers have been entering and leaving the premises.

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