Bystander Stops Attacker Wielding Twin 8-Inch Knives in Harrowing Encounter

Darryn Frost says he does not want to be remembered as a hero. He is the man who used a 6ft-long narwhal tusk during the November 2019 attack at Fishmongers’ Hall near London Bridge.

The attack and immediate response

Frost was attending a prisoner rehabilitation event on behalf of his boss. The meeting took place in Fishmongers’ Hall, next to London Bridge.

The attacker, Usman Khan, had been released on licence. He entered the building armed and fatally wounded attendees Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23.

Frost saw injured people on a spiral staircase and ran to find anything to stop the violence. He grabbed a narwhal tusk from the dining room wall and handed it to former prisoner Steve Gallant.

Gallant had tried to fend off Khan earlier with a chair. John Crilly later joined the pursuit with a fire extinguisher.

The assailant returned toward London Bridge. Frost and others chased him along the bridge. Frost confronted an attacker wielding twin 8-inch kitchen knives and managed to stab him with the tusk.

Police with semi-automatic rifles arrived soon after. Footage shows Frost grappling with Khan before officers shot the attacker.

Aftermath and health impacts

Frost was shaken by the events. He later knelt with a gun held at his head while officers searched the hall.

In the months after, he suffered nightmares and severe memory loss. He turned to alcohol, gained weight, and experienced anger and deep depression.

Counselling followed and doctors diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder. He retired from his civil service role on health grounds.

Personal consequences

The trauma affected Frost’s relationship and daily life. His partner became his carer for several years.

He says survivor’s guilt made the loss of Merritt and Jones especially hard to bear. He questions why he survived when two promising lives ended.

Recognition and new directions

Frost was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his actions. He moved to Britain from South Africa 21 years ago and is now 44.

In 2021 he and Steve Gallant founded Own Merit. The charity offers housing and support for recently released prisoners.

Frost says the work grew from the post-traumatic growth that followed the attack. He wanted to turn trauma into practical change.

Sculpture, TV series and public portrayal

The BBC invited Frost to take part in Extraordinary Portraits with Bill Bailey. The programme pairs subjects with leading portrait artists.

Sculptor Nick Elphick, from Llandudno, spent three months making a piece for the series. He worked long days and used marble powder, polythene resins and glass fibre.

Elphick aimed to show Frost’s burden rather than a triumphant image. The finished work will be shown at Bradford’s Loading Bay gallery.

Frost had resisted a heroic portrayal. He agreed because he wanted the record to show the wider story behind the narwhal tusk moment.

Where to see the programme

Extraordinary Portraits with Bill Bailey is available on BBC One and iPlayer. The episode features Frost’s interview and the unveiling of the sculpture.

• Location: Fishmongers’ Hall, near London Bridge.
• Date of incident: November 2019.
• Attacker: Usman Khan.
• Victims: Jack Merritt, 25; Saskia Jones, 23.
• Others involved: Steve Gallant; John Crilly.
• Recognition: Queen’s Gallantry Medal.
• Charity: Own Merit, founded 2021.

Filmogaz.com covered the sculptor’s approach and Frost’s recovery in detail. His story remains a complex mix of courage, loss and efforts to rebuild.