A man is fighting for life with stab wounds after being attacked by a group wielding baseball bats and knives in south London.
Police were called to the scene at around 5.20pm on Friday to reports of a man stabbed in the area of East Street in Walworth.
Officers think the victim, 24, was stabbed nearby in Nursery Row Park. He was rushed to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
Police say they believe the man "was attacked by a group of up to six males armed with baseball bats and knives".
A crime scene remains in place. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.
Detective Sergeant Rob Merrett of Central South CID: "I believe the victim was attacked by a group of up to six males armed with baseball bats and knives.
"An investigation is underway, including forensic analysis of the scene and of all available CCTV footage, in addition to house-to-house and other local enquiries.
“I urge any witnesses, anyone with information and in particular people who have mobile phone footage of the incident to come forward and speak with police if they have not already done so.”
A Section 60 order was authorised for the Walworth area following the incident and additional patrols have been put in place, police said.
Two sisters with a tailoring business on the edge of the park saw the victim lying in the street following the attack and said young children also witnessed the violent scenes.
The first woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “I saw someone lying on the floor so I called my elder sister who is a nurse to go and help resuscitate him.
“I told her to get gloves and a mask but when she ran there the police were not allowing people through. There was a lady trying to put the young man in the recovery position but they weren’t letting anyone else come near him.”
She added that two children who looked about five or six were explaining to police how a gang of men had run up to the victim and stabbed him. “They [the children] were really distressed,” she said.
Her sister, Nyama Fania, said they had founded the business in 2017 and there was rarely any trouble in the area.
“They will come back for that person – we used to see it all the time when I was a nurse,” she said. [Stab victims] need security when they get out of hospital because they always get attacked again."
Ms Fania added: “We know he was stabbed in the park and then they chased him because there was a trail of blood coming from the park.”
Her sister said: “We are just praying that the young people will come to their senses and realise they can have a proper life – go to uni and find a proper job and be good citizens.”
Another woman, who saw paramedics trying to keep the man alive, said: “It was around 5pm so the market was just closing and the traders were packing up and there were lots of children playing in the park.”
Anyone with information should call 101; reference 5940/21aug. To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
With additional reporting by PA
