A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday night that left another man seriously injured.
Police said the arrest followed the incident at about 22:30 BST and that the suspect remains in custody. The injured man, in his 40s, is in hospital with serious injuries to his face, neck and back.
Officers said they were on the scene within minutes and declared a critical incident as the case moved quickly from a street assault into a major investigation. Police have said they have begun work to establish a motive, but have not yet said what led to the stabbing or whether the men knew each other.
Video circulating online shows members of the public confronting the apparent attacker before police arrived, and one person in the footage is seen wielding a hurling stick. Police have asked people not to share footage of the attack, even as the clip has spread widely across social media.
That public intervention has become part of the story in its own right. Ryan Henderson said the people who stepped in showed bravery and community spirit, while also warning that the attack would leave real concern in the area. Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long also praised the brave people who disarmed the attacker, but said the scenes were deeply disturbing and traumatising to view.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the attack sickening and said there was absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence on the streets. The investigation is continuing at pace, and police are still trying to piece together what happened in the moments before the arrest and what prompted the assault.
