Image source, Metropolitan Police
The man is described as wearing gray shorts, a dark colored T-shirt, a white baseball cap and white construction style gloves.
Detectives investigating the murder of a grandfather who was 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, of Cayton Road, Greenford, west London, died after being attacked just after 16:00 BST on Tuesday.
Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson said it was an act of “unprovoked violence”.
The police now want to identify the man from CCTV as a matter of urgency.
He is described as wearing gray shorts, a dark colored T-shirt, a white baseball cap and white patterned builder style gloves.
Detective Chief Inspector 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 recognize him or if they 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 scene of the crime at midday Chief Superintendent Wilson said: “We believe Mr O’Halloran was stabbed on Western Avenue before managing to travel about 75 yards on his mobility scooter to Runnymede Gardens where he pulled over a member of the public down for help,” he said.
“So, please. If you saw anything we need to hear from you.”
WATCH: Police chief appeals for public help to kill 87-year-old Thomas O’Halloran
This is the sixth murder investigation to be launched in London in the last four days.
Chief Superintendent Wilson said Mr O’Halloran was a “loving” member of the Greenford community and lived locally.
Additional officers will be used to patrol the area in the coming days to provide security.
A public meeting will also be held on Thursday evening at Greenford Community Center organized by the Metropolitan Police and chaired by Chief Superintendent Wilson.
“They are there to protect you and to help you,” added Supt Wilson.
“If you have any concerns or information that you want to share, please contact those officers. I realized the terrible impact that events like this have on our communities.
“I would like to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to solve the horrific crimes we have seen across London over the last few days. I stress that London remains one of the biggest cities safe in the world.”
Police described the attack as a “terrible incident”.
According to the BBC’s analysis of police crime figures, 66 murder investigations have been launched this year in London by the Met Police, the City of London Police and the British Transport Police (BTP).
This is slightly lower compared to this time last year when the police had launched 78 murder investigations in the capital.
Almost two-thirds of homicide victims in London 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.
In the setting: Aurelia Foster on BBC London
An army of TV crews, satellite trucks and journalists have set up camp in this normally residential road in Greenford.
A forensic tent continues to stand ominously within the large police cordon – marking the exact spot where Thomas O’Halloran died.
Traffic on the A40 eastbound, which runs parallel to Runnymede Gardens, has been slowed while drivers and passengers attend the crime scene.
This is a narrow road, which means that this clearly happened right outside people’s homes, as well as the afternoon traffic.
It is hard to understand how something like this could have happened in such an open place. Neighbors say this is a quiet, trouble-free area with a large number of elderly residents.
They told me they were afraid of becoming victims of crime themselves.
Frasley Coutinho, who lives opposite where Mr O’Halloran was stabbed, said he saw the pensioner 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 were a group of young lads around him.”
Mr Coutinho said he caught some of the incident on CCTV but it had been hidden by a factory.
Nick Lambie told BBC London that the community was very worried because of the fatal stabbing
Another resident, Nick Lambie, said Mr O’Halloran was known to collect for charity.
He added: “When you hear something like this happening on your doorstep it is very disturbing as it is a very quiet area.
“I understand he was collecting for charity and was often in the local Tesco. From 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 played his accordion to raise money for Ukraine earlier this year.
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