Woman arrested after four people stabbed in London’s Covent Garden, police say

By Billy Stockwell, CNN

London (CNN) — A woman has been arrested after four people were stabbed in London’s famous Covent Garden, local police said.

Four men have been taken to hospital following the incident on Endell Street on Wednesday afternoon, according to London’s Metropolitan Police. The men are aged 34, 39, 42 and 52, police said.

“A 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. She was taken to custody where she remains,” police said in a statement.

Police added that the incident is suspected to be a “mental health related incident,” citing preliminary investigations.

Covent Garden is a busy shopping district in the heart of London’s West End and a popular spot for tourists given its close proximity to theaters, high-end shops, restaurants and the world renowned Royal Opera House.

It has a rich history as the site of one of London’s first markets.

A London Ambulance spokesperson told CNN the service received a call about a stabbing at 12:29 p.m. local time.

“We sent an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car and an incident response officer. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said four patients were treated at the scene and then taken to a major trauma center “as a priority by road.” Two of the men were subsequently discharged, while the other two men were still in hospital though their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening or life-changing, according to a later update from authorities.

Successive governments have promised to tackle knife crime in the UK, but it remains a key concern for people across the country, where access to firearms and other weapons is tightly controlled.

A total of 48,774 knife crime offenses were recorded in England and Wales in the 12 months up until March 2026, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is a decrease of 8% compared with the previous year, ONS data shows. Fewer than 1% of recorded knife crimes were homicide offences.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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CNN’s Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting.