Hero father who saved family from London sword attacker speaks out on the moment he came face-to-face with him
Topics: Crime, True Crime, UK News
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: BBC/LinkedIn
Topics: Crime, True Crime, UK News
A victim of the Hainault sword attack has claimed it was a ‘miracle’ that he and his young family survived the harrowing incident.
On April 30, Marcus Arduini Monzo, 36, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police, accused of embarking on a violent rampage around northeast London.
During the frenzied incident, the perpetrator is accused of injuring five civilians, including schoolboy Daniel Anjorin, 14, who later died of his injuries.
In a new interview, a survivor has recounted the moment he realised the assailant was in his home and how he was forced to fight to protect his family.
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Henry De Los Rios Polania, 35, and his wife had fallen asleep on the ‘ordinary’ evening of 29 April while watching the TV.
When the couple opened their eyes the next morning they realised a man was standing in front of them brandishing a sword.
"I thought I was going to die... even my wife and child. We thought we were going to die that morning,” the man told BBC News.
"I believe a miracle happened in that room.”
After realising there was an invader in the home, Henry scrambled for something to defend himself with but could only find ‘pillows and teddy bears’.
Following the incident, Henry was rushed to hospital and was forced to undergo almost 10 hours worth of surgery to reconstruct tendons and veins in his hands.
After being released on Wednesday (8 May), the victim said his family was not harmed and that his daughter believed him to be a ‘hero’.
“I protected my family... I will do everything for my family," he said before thanking police and doctors who ‘came forward’ to help him.
He added that he wanted to praise God for ‘keeping him alive’ during the terrifying ordeal.
As per BBC, Henry was unable to give more details of the attack as he did not want to jeopardise the police investigation.
Following the Hainault sword attack, police arrested Monzo as the suspect and charged him with the murder of Daniel.
At the time of the incident, Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said: "Everyone at the Met is keeping them in their thoughts at this unimaginably difficult time.”
Following the incident, The Met released a statement that read: "Police and other emergency services are in Hainault, east London, at a serious incident in which a man with a sword has been arrested.
“We were called shortly before 7am to reports of a vehicle being driven into a house in the Thurlow Gardens area. There were reports people have been stabbed.
"At this time we understand the suspect went on to attack other members of the public and two police officers.”
Bell added that he was ‘committed’ to providing answers about the crime and asked for ‘patience’.