“harmful” knife-wielding man who was seen fleeing the scene of a deadly assault on an 87-year-old man in a mobility scooter is being sought by detectives.
Thomas O’Halloran was killed in a “surprising act” of “unprovoked violence” at round 4pm on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police mentioned.
Officers have been referred to as to Cayton Street, in Greenford, west London, to experiences of a stabbing and the charity fundraiser was declared lifeless on the scene.
Detectives have launched photographs of a person they are saying they wish to establish as “a matter of urgency”.
He was armed with a knife and carrying gray shorts, a darkish T-shirt, a white baseball cap and white patterned builder-style gloves.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who’s main the investigation, mentioned: “He’s clearly a harmful particular person and individuals are suggested to not strategy him, however to name us instantly on 999 in the event that they know him or have any info concerning his whereabouts.”
Talking on the scene earlier on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson mentioned: “I perceive that our neighborhood will fairly rightly be shocked and appalled by this incident, as I’m too.
“We at the moment are in a position to title the person who has tragically misplaced his life as Mr Thomas O’Halloran, who lived in Greenford and was a really well-known and much-loved member of our neighborhood.
“We’re interesting to anyone with dashcam or cycle-helmet footage that may have captured this incident to get into contact with us.
“We imagine that Mr O’Halloran was stabbed in Western Avenue shortly earlier than 4pm yesterday, Tuesday August 16, earlier than managing to journey 75 yards or so on his mobility scooter to Runnymede Gardens the place he flagged down a member of public for assist.”
He was attacked whereas on his method to busk, in line with a buddy who didn’t wish to be named.
He advised the PA information company: “He was getting back from Perivale to play his accordion and make some cash for his household and he was stabbed to demise.”
Mr O’Halloran was mentioned to be recognized domestically for busking exterior Greenford Station and was additionally mentioned to be elevating cash for war-torn Ukraine.
A person believed to be Mr O’Halloran performs the instrument in poignant YouTube footage uploaded in October 2020, captioned “a couple of songs on the accordion”.
Mr O’Halloran, whose Fb says he’s initially from Ennistymon, County Clare, western Eire, sports activities a cap and glasses within the video, saying “right here we go, prepared? want me luck”, earlier than he begins to play.
A person who works in a newsagents exterior Greenford station mentioned: “He used to play his accordion right here.
“He got here each day for a very long time, not less than two years. He often busked round 5 o’clock.”
One other shopkeeper mentioned: “He was usually exterior the station enjoying his accordion.”
Frasley Coutinho, who lives reverse the place the assault occurred, mentioned he noticed the sufferer surrounded by a bunch of younger boys.
He mentioned: “I noticed a few folks gathering round him after which he drove previous and stopped additional up, after which there was a bunch of younger boys round him.”
There have been 58 homicides in London up to now this 12 months.
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