Greenford: Manhunt for mobility scooter murder suspect

The man is described as wearing grey shorts, a dark coloured T-shirt, a white baseball cap and white patterned builder style gloves

Detectives investigating the murder of a grandfather stabbed while riding a mobility scooter have released images of a man seen running from the scene armed with a knife.

Thomas O'Halloran, 87, died on Cayton Road, Greenford, west London, after being attacked just after 16:00 BST on Tuesday.

Ch Supt Sean Wilson said it was an act of "unprovoked violence".

Police now want to identify the man from CCTV as a matter of urgency.

He is described as wearing grey shorts, a dark coloured T-shirt, a white baseball cap and white patterned builder style gloves.

Det Ch Insp Jim Eastwood, who is leading the investigation, said: "He is clearly a dangerous individual and people are advised not to approach him, but to call us immediately on 999 if they know him or have any information regarding his whereabouts."

The Met described the attack on Thomas O'Halloran in west London as an act of unprovoked violence

Speaking at the crime scene at midday Ch Supt Wilson said: "We believe that Mr O'Halloran was stabbed on Western Avenue before managing to travel 75 yards or so on his mobility scooter to Runnymede Gardens where he flagged down a member of the public for help," he said.

"So, please. If you saw anything we do need to hear from you."

It is the sixth murder investigation to be launched in London in the last four days.

Ch Supt Wilson said Mr O'Halloran was a "much-loved" member of the Greenford community and lived locally.

Extra officers will be deployed to patrol the area in the coming days to provide reassurance.

A public meeting will also be held on Thursday evening at Greenford Community Centre organised by Metropolitan Police and chaired by Ch Supt Wilson.

"They are there to protect you and to help you," Ch Supt Wilson added.

"If you have any concerns or information that you want to share please approach those officers. I realised that dreadful impact that incidents like this have on our communities.

"I would like to reassure you all that we are doing all we can to solve the horrendous crimes that we have seen across London over the last few days. I stress that London remains one of the safest cities in the world."

Police described the attack as an "awful incident"

According to BBC analysis of police crime figures, 66 murder investigations have been launched this year in London by the Met Police, City of London Police and British Transport Police (BTP).

This is slightly lower compared with this time last year where police had launched 78 murder investigations in the capital.

Nearly two-thirds of London homicide victims in 2022 have been stabbed to death.

Four people have been fatally shot - all within the last month.

Sixty-two cases have led to arrests, and 52 cases have seen someone charged with murder.

At the scene: BBC London's Aurelia Foster

An army of TV crews, satellite trucks and journalists have set up camp in this ordinary residential road in Greenford.

A forensics tent remains standing ominously within the large police cordon - marking the very spot Thomas O'Halloran died.

Traffic on the eastbound A40, which is parallel to Runnymede Gardens, has been slowing down while drivers and passengers take in the crime scene.

This is a narrow road, meaning this happened in plain view immediately outside people's homes, as well as afternoon traffic.

It's difficult to understand how something like this could have happened in a spot so exposed. Neighbours say this is a quiet, uneventful area, with a large number of elderly residents.

They told me that they fear becoming victims of crime themselves.

Frasley Coutinho, who lives opposite where Mr O'Halloran was stabbed, said he saw the pensioner being surrounded by a group of youths.

He said: "I saw a couple of people gathering around him and then he drove past and stopped further up, and then there was a group of young boys around him."

Mr Coutinho said he caught some of the incident on a CCTV camera but it had been obscured by a plant.

Nick Lambie told BBC London the community is very worried by the fatal stabbing

Another resident Nick Lambie said Mr O'Halloran was known to collect for charity.

He added: "When you hear something like that happening on your doorstep it is very disconcerting as it is a very quiet area.

"I understand he collected for charity and was quite often at the local Tesco. By the looks of it he was making his way from there.

"Someone in their 80s in a mobility scooter can't put up much of a fight."

Footage shared with Sky News appears to show Mr O'Halloran smiling as he plays his accordion to raise money for Ukraine earlier this year.

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