Police probing a double murder in south London have arrested a woman and five men in their 40s and 50s.
The victims – a man, 59, and a 56-year-old woman – were found with multiple stab wounds in a flat above an office In Dorset Road, Stockwell, at around 4pm yesterday.
Despite the efforts of paramedics both were pronounced dead at the scene.
At least some of the six suspects and two victims are from ‘the South American community,’ police have confirmed.
The victim’s next of kin have been informed and officers are not seeking any more suspects.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Leonard, who is leading the investigation, said:
‘I understand that this is an extremely shocking incident for the residents of this area and the wider community.
The scene at The Bridge Estate on Dorset Road in Stockwell, south London. Six people have been arrested on suspicion of murder
Forensics scour the scene in Stockwell today looking for evidence after a man and woman were stabbed to death
‘Please be assured that my team are working very hard to understand the circumstance of this terrible event.
‘The investigation is at a very early stage, but we currently believe that many of those caught up in the tragic incident are from South American communities.
‘We are appealing directly to those communities in and around the local area for any assistance they can give us and will be working closely with our partners and other agencies to reach potential witnesses.
‘If there is anybody with any information that could help our investigation please do get in contact, my officers are standing by to take your call and you will be fully supported.’
A cordon remains in place outside the second storey maisonette while forensic investigators examine the scene.
Police and paramedics were called to Dorset Road in Stockwell at 4pm today after concerns were raised for the welfare of a man (Pictured: Police at the scene)
Two tents have been set up in a small elevated children’s playground next to the property.
The ‘extremely shocking incident’ comes on the ninth day of Britain’s unprecedented lockdown to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said it dispatched London’s Air Ambulance alongside several paramedic teams.
‘We were called at 4:18pm today to reports of an incident in Dorset Road, Stockwell in SW8,’ a statement said.
‘We dispatched a number of resources to the scene: a paramedic team leader, an advanced paramedic practitioner, an incident response officer, a medic in a response car and two ambulance crews.
‘We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance. Sadly, despite our efforts, two people were pronounced dead at the scene.’
A man, 44, and a woman, 56, were found inside a home with ‘multiple stab injuries’ in the ‘extremely shocking incident’ and later died at the scene
Councillor Mohammad Seedat, of Lambeth Council, said ‘colleagues tried to save the lives’ of those involved, but were ultimately ‘unsuccessful’
Councillor Mohammad Seedat, of Lambeth Council, said ‘colleagues tried to save the lives’ of those involved, but were ultimately ‘unsuccessful’.
He wrote on Twitter: ‘We are working with @LambethMPS to ascertain circumstances of two people murdered in the Stockwell area of Lambeth.
‘COVID19 unfortunately bringing out the worst behaviours of humanity as well as the best. Stay indoors, stay safe.’
The ‘extremely shocking’ double stabbing adds to a string of killings which have taken place across Britain since the nationwide coronavirus lockdown began.
Tomas Macionis, 35, was stabbed to death in Walthamstow, north east London, on Tuesday.
A man, aged in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of murder and tonight remained in police custody.
The bodies of four people and a dead dog were last week found at a house in Sussex and a man was charged with killing his wife in South Wales.
An NHS nurse was also stabbed to death in the street in South Yorkshire and three have died in an apparent murder-suicide in Hertfordshire.