The killing of a “gentle” and “peaceful” dog walker who died in a triple stabbing in Uxbridge in west London on Monday has been met with outcry. Police say that an Afghan national has been arrested, and it has now emerged that the man entered the UK illegally on a lorry in 2020.
49-year-old Wayne Broadhurst, who worked as a bin man and was well known in the local community, was killed in the attack after he allegedly intervened to prevent a 45-year-old man and a teenage boy from being attacked after a “row” broke out.
The late Mr Broadhurst has been hailed as a “hero” after he tried to help but was fatally “slashed in the throat” with a large knife, according to neighbours. Police pursued the attacker and tasered him when he repeatedly ignored their orders to drop the knife to the ground.
The 22-year-old suspect entered the UK clandestinely on a lorry and was granted asylum and indefinite leave to remain in 2022, news outlets including The Telegraph and GB News report,
According to residents, the suspect was allegedly living as a lodger at the family home of the 45-year-old father – who was also stabbed in the attack – for the past six months. The Home Office confirmed that the man entered the UK in a lorry, and had been granted leave to remain. It said that the suspect was not living in Home Office accommodation.
One witness told a local newspaper: “The man was chasing a man and a boy around the road and a local man who was with his dog tried to stop it.
“There was blood everywhere and the paramedics were there for at least 30 minutes trying to save his life. It was absolute carnage and very distressing to see.”
Flowers, candles and cards were pictured left at the scene of the tragedy by men, women and children, with one note reading: “The community is devastated. Rest in peace. #HillingdonSaysNo.”
Video footage posted online appears to show the suspect walking along a residential street, before two Metropolitan police officers run after him with a taser, shouting, “Drop the knife.”
While Mr Broadhurst died at the scene, a second man, 45, was taken to hospital with life-changing injuries and a boy, 14, was also injured, according to police. One local woman who lives near the scene of the attack told the Independent newspaper that a teenage boy showed up at her door “wearing a blood-soaked shirt” and “begging for help” at around 5pm on Monday evening. She said that after her husband opened the door, four or five neighbours from a house opposite came out to “protect” the man, who was badly injured.
She added: “They had bats. There were four or five people. They were protecting him, so they saved his life. They did a very good job.
“Maybe he would have died if they didn’t protect him,” she told the newspaper.
It is understood that the two other victims are a father and son, and that the father who was attacked has “life-changing” injuries. Both are now recovering in hospital.
Last night, hundreds of people gathered by the cordon surrounding the scene to hold a minute’s silence.
Mr Broadhurst was remembered by one local man: “He’s well known around here. He’s a lovely guy, very gentle and peaceful. He was just trying to help and it’s ended up costing him his life.”
British media reports that the suspect was known to mental health services and police and that police suspect he carried out the attack late on Monday afternoon during a psychotic episode.
Met Chief Supt Jill Horsfall said: “This was a shocking and senseless act of violence that has left one man dead and two others injured. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time.”
There has been anger over the response to Mr Broadhurst’s killing, with many on social media highly critical of the response of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the media.
Defund the BBC, a campaign to get rid of the BBC license fee, said in a post on Wednesday: “Yesterday Wayne Broadhurst died a hero after intervening as an Afghan man who arrived here illegally stabbed three people. The BBC think that isn’t even worth being in the top 5 stories on its website. Sickening.”
Darren Grimes, a former GB News presenter and current Reform UK councillor, said on X: “No coverage on ITV. No candlelit vigils. No lectures from politicians about “the epidemic of violence.” Just silence. Wayne deserved better. Britain deserves better.”
Appearing on TalkTV on Wednesday, Uxbridge resident James Timms told host Samara Gill that the UK could be on the brink of a “civil war.” Addressing the Prime Minister, the local man said: “Keir Starmer, if you’re listening to this or you see this, seriously, seriously – you really have to wake up. The country is going to end up in civil war and something has to be done. You’ve got to start listening to the people of this country, you really have.”