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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Jacob Jarvis

Cinemagoer tells how he used blanket to compress victim's wound after Streatham terror attack

A London man has described how he used a blanket to help one of the Streatham terror attack victims as he passed the scene on his way to the cinema.

Dave Chawner, a stand up comedian, was walking down Streatham High Road when he witnessed what he first believed was a shoplifting incident.

He saw people being bundled over and ran over to see if he could assist, as he heard what he thought was a car back fire.

He then found the injured man and tended to him, using his blanket to stem the blood from the man's wound.

The incident, which took place on Sunday afternoon, saw police shoot dead a man who had gone on a stabbing spree. Officers are confident the suspect is convicted terrorist Sudesh Amman.

Describing how he helped, Mr Chawner told GMB: "Because I was on the way to the cinema, it's a stupid thing to do, but I was carrying a blanket."

As blood poured from one of the victim's wounds, he told how he used his blanket to form a compress in a bid to stem the flow.

"He was awake and alert but he was in such distress," he said. "This poor innocent bloke was bleeding on the pavement."

Insisting he was not a hero, he said: "Everybody pitched in, everybody had their little job."

Streatham attack suspect Sudesh Amman ()

Mr Chawner said people were diverting buses and handing out water, adding: "Everybody banded together."

He also spoke of his hope that the man he helped "makes it".

The victim had initially been said to be life-threatening, though authorities have since said his condition has improved.

Police investigate the scene of the attack (Nigel Howard)

Discussing the frequency of such attacks, he revealed he had also been near to the London Bridge terror attack last year, having been on the bridge as the violence unfolded.

Asked about the assailant in the latest attack having been released for terror offences, to then go on to commit this violence, he said: "It makes me angry and it makes frustrated like I think so many people are."

However, he said he did not want to use the incident to make political comments.

Police are continuing to investigate the stabbing spreee.

The chief suspect Amman, who police are confident was the attacker despite him having not been formally identified, had been convicted for distributing terrorist documents a little over a year ago.

Scotland Yard said armed officers were following the suspect on foot as part of a "proactive counter-terrorism surveillance operation" on Streatham High Road, while homes in south London have been raided following the attack.

Three victims were taken by ambulance to south London hospitals.

One man, in his 40s, is no longer considered to be in a life-threatening condition following treatment, police said.

A woman, in her 50s, who had non-life threatening injuries has been discharged from hospital.

Police said a second woman in her 20s, who received minor injuries believed to have been caused by glass following the discharge of a police firearm, continues to receive treatment.

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