A ‘VIGILANTE’ driver today mowed down and killed a knifeman who stabbed a mum to death at the school gates, terrified witnesses said.
The woman, 43, was heard screaming for help as she was fatally attacked in broad daylight in Maida Vale, West London.
Officers believed that the man, 41, and woman were known to each other and their next of kin have been informed.
Horrified witnesses saw a bystander rush into his car and plough into the knifeman after watching the brutal attack.
One local said he heard the driver shout “I want to stop him” before jumping into his car on Chippenham Road, at 9am this morning.
Detectives have now arrested a 26-year-old man, the driver of the car, on suspicion of murder.
One man who also claimed to have seen the attack told Mail Online: “The driver said to me ‘what have I done?’. I told him ‘you had to do that’.”
The man, who did not want to give his name, added: “The driver had both of them under his car – the guy and the girl.
“Me and two geezers had to lift the car up and drag her body out. We were giving her CPR but she had stab wounds everywhere. We couldn’t stop the blood.”
Witnesses believe that the driver may have also hit the woman.
Raad Jiyad, 52, also tried to intervene when he heard the woman’s frantic screams for help outside of a school.
He said: “I was at home when I heard someone crying for help. I saw him stab her four or five times in the chest.
“The woman was screaming, crying for help and was covered in blood. He said ‘nobody come to me’ and ‘take it’ as he stabbed her.
“I tried to speak to her as she was bleeding. I have blood on my hand from it.
“People were asking her what her name was but she did not respond. I do not know her at all.
“Someone arrived in a car who wanted to help her and he hit the attacker with the car and tried to get him to stop.
“The man who arrived in the blue car, which was a Renault, was scared about what happened. We spoke to each other and he tried to stop the guy with the knife.
“I don’t think either of the men knew each other already but I think the man with the knife and the woman knew each other.
“The man who was pushed under the car shouted ‘help, help’. When the police arrived in about 15 minutes came and they took him out.
“I wanted to try and make him come towards me instead to buy her some time.
“We tried to save her. He had this big knife so no one wanted to go near. Then this car came through and ran him over.
“It was all over so quickly. He went completely under the car. I think the driver was just trying to buy time to distract him.”
Eyewitness Mulugeta Asseratte added: “It is a very terrible incident and for it to happen on a Monday morning.
“I was coming up from the bakery to Chippenham Road and suddenly heard shouts of ‘stop it, stop it’ and it was a girl being attacked by a gentleman.
“All of a sudden it moved to the street and no sooner than they reached the street than a driver came and hit both of them.
“We were all shocked and shouting and my heart goes out to the families of this fatal incident. This is something one sees in movies, not in real life.”
A woman working in a nearby dog grooming shop told The Sun: “I was told this morning it was a mum who had just dropped off her two children at school, and was then stabbed in the street.
“Then someone saw the man who did it and ran him over with their car, it must be absolutely awful for everyone involved.”
‘NO WIDER THREAT’
Cops are working to inform their families, and a post-mortem will take place in the coming days.
Road closures in the area remain in place, with Chippenham Road and Elgin Avenue shut.
Forensic officers remain on the scene, scouring the area for any evidence.
A cordon was still in place this afternoon on a small stretch of the road and two vehicles – a Vauxhall and a Renault – were in the cordoned area alongside two London buses and a lorry.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood said: “This was a terrible incident that occurred in broad daylight on a busy London street. It also appears that a number of members of the public bravely tried to intervene to stop the attack.
“A man has been arrested in relation to the case; we are not aware of any links between this man and the two deceased. I can also confirm that we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection to this incident.
I tried to speak to her as she was bleeding and held her as she took her last breath. I have blood on my hand from itRaad Jiyad
“A team of detectives are working to establish the circumstances of the incident and I would ask the public to avoid speculating on what may have happened while these initial enquiries take place.
“A number of people have already come forward, but we are still asking for anyone to make contact with us. Any information could be vital in helping us understand why this dreadful incident happened.”
A London Ambulance Service spokesman added: “We were called at 9.02am today to reports of an incident on Chippenham Road, W9.
“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including two ambulance crews, two clinical team leaders, an advanced paramedic, two tactical response units, a medic in a car, an incident response officer, and members of our hazardous area response team.
“We also dispatched by road London’s Air Ambulance. Despite our medics’ efforts, two people died at the scene.”
