Three boys and a girl in their late teens stabbed a plainclothes police officer three times as he was taking part in a planned operation in east London on Tuesday night, Scotland Yard has said.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses and information about the attack, which happened in an alleyway near the Bow Bells pub in Bow Road, Bow, just before 9.30pm. The officer was said not to be in a life threatening condition on Wednesday.
Police say the quartet, who ran off after the attack, may also have been involved in a separate incident nearby, outside Devons Road station on the Docklands Light Railway network, where a motorist was threatened with a knife. He was able to drive away and notify police.
One male, whose age has not yet been made public, was later that evening arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody.
London’s air ambulance and the London ambulance service attended the scene of the stabbing. The injured officer, in his 40s, was taken to an east London hospital, where he remains.
The Metropolitan police’s homicide and major crime command is investigating. Detectives do not believe the attackers knew their victim was a police officer.
Police said they may have been socialising in the area before the attack. The temporary deputy assistant commissioner Richard Martin, from specialist crime and operations, said: “Fortunately, the officer is recovering well in hospital, as his injuries could have been a lot worse.
“I’d like to appeal for any information or witnesses to the attack that took place.
“If you saw or heard anything that may help us catch the people responsible then please get in touch.”
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
