Four people stabbed in London’s Covent Garden

Updated August 6, 2026 — 1:44am,first published 11:59pmLondon: A woman has been arrested after four people were stabbed in London’s Covent Garden, a bustling area in the centre of the capital that is full of attractions and popular with visitors.The Metropolitan Police said early indications suggest it was a mental health-related incident and that scissors were recovered at the scene. Police said four men aged 34, 39, 42 and 52 were found with stab wounds and a 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault.Police at the scene of the stabbings in Covent Garden.James Manning/PA via APThe injured were taken to a trauma centre following the incident on Wednesday afternoon (London time) on Endell Street. Two were discharged and two remained with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.“While still at an early stage of the investigation, we would like to reassure the community that we currently believe this to be an isolated, mental health-related incident,” Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart said.A manager of a fish and chip shop near the scene said random people were stabbed.“I didn’t see any scissors, but I heard it was with small scissors,” Arjan Gjorga said, adding that “the police responded immediately”.Four men were taken to hospital.James Manning/PA via APPolice previously said that three people had been stabbed in the incident, but later confirmed four people were found with stab wounds.APGet a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.From our partners