Willesden, London – Shocking CCTV footage has captured the terrifying moment a masked knifeman stormed into a fast food restaurant and stabbed a young man before pausing mid-attack to film the gruesome assault on his mobile phone.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was chased into the eatery on Walm Lane in Willesden last Tuesday night (April 1), following what police believe was a targeted pursuit involving two vehicles. Footage from inside the restaurant shows the man desperately trying to hold the glass door shut in an effort to keep his attacker out, but he is soon overpowered and shoved to the ground.
What follows is a disturbing and frenzied knife attack. The assailant – dressed entirely in black and wearing a white face mask – is seen plunging a long blade repeatedly into the victim’s legs and torso as the man lies defenceless on the floor.
In a chilling twist, the knifeman pauses partway through the attack, removes his phone, and begins to film the victim while continuing the assault. The disturbing moment has drawn comparisons online to violent scenes from the video game Grand Theft Auto.
As the assault unfolds, a member of the public enters the restaurant and appears to intervene, prompting the attacker to leave. The victim, despite his injuries, is seen managing to get back on his feet and walking away from the scene.
Stabbing follows car chase
According to the Metropolitan Police, the attack appears to have been premeditated. A police spokesperson said the stabbing was preceded by a car chase, where the victim, believed to be driving his own vehicle, was followed by the suspect in another car. The chase ended in a collision, after which the victim ran into the restaurant in an attempt to flee.
A Met Police spokesperson said:
“Police were called at around 9.06pm on Tuesday, April 1, to reports of a stabbing inside a restaurant in Walm Lane, Willesden. A man in his 20s then self-presented to hospital with stab wounds. His condition is not life-threatening or life-changing.”
“The early indication is that the victim was involved in a collision after being followed in his vehicle, and then attempted to seek safety in the restaurant before being attacked. No arrests have been made at this time, but officers are pursuing all available lines of enquiry.”
Public shocked by brazen violence
The footage, which has since circulated widely on social media, has left locals in shock and raised fresh concerns about knife crime and brazen public violence in the capital.
One shopkeeper in the area, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s horrifying to think someone could do something like that in plain sight, and even stop to record it. What kind of world are we living in?”
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Another resident described the incident as “something out of a movie” and expressed fear for the safety of young people in the neighbourhood. “This isn’t the first stabbing we’ve had around here, but this one feels different – it was planned, it was public, and it was filmed.”
Police appeal for information
The Met is urging anyone with information, dashcam footage, or further CCTV from the area around Walm Lane on the evening of April 1 to come forward.
“We understand the shock this incident has caused, and we’re doing everything possible to identify and apprehend the individual responsible,” said the police spokesperson.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 6876/01Apr or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The investigation remains ongoing.
