A man has been charged with the murder of a schoolboy during a sword attack in east London.
Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, 36, has been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin following the sword attack in east London on Tuesday the Metropolitan Police said. He was also charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
The dual Spanish Brazilian national of Newham, East London is due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court tomorrow. The families of the victims have been informed.
Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, who is leading the investigation, said earlier: “This is an incredibly tragic incident that has resulted in a young boy losing his life and his family devastated. On behalf of the family, I would ask that their privacy is respected.
“This is a complex investigation due to the number of crime scenes, forensic evidence, hours of CCTV footage and witnesses we need to speak to. I know that many people will want answers and we are working to provide them as soon as we can. I would also echo previous calls for patience as my officers carry out a painstaking investigation to deliver justice for Daniel, his family, those injured and the wider community.
“We are starting to build a picture of what happened on Tuesday and I want to thank everyone who has come forward to share dashcam, doorbell and mobile phone footage with us. Likewise, thank you to witnesses, who were no doubt terrified by what they saw, and who have made vital contributions to our investigation. Anyone who has not yet spoken to police and has any information should contact us as soon as possible.”
Harrowing footage showed a man dressed in a yellow jumper brandishing a three-foot long sword as he was being chased by officers through gardens before being shot with a Taser. One neighbour, who asked not to be named, claimed the attacker had crashed a grey van into a house in the moments before his rampage.
Another local James Fernando, 39, told how he stood guard by the schoolboy’s body after his death. He said: “I can’t stop thinking about that young boy. I can’t stop envisaging his face. A child’s life has been lost. I was eating my breakfast when I saw the man get out of a crashed grey transit van.
"He then approached a female resident with his telephone in his hand and asked her to tell someone on the phone his location. She realised he was not in a normal state of mind. She started to run and then he pulled a sword from the back of his trousers."
The Mirror previously reported Anjorin went to the same school - Bancroft's School - as student Grace O'Malley-Kumar, killed in the Nottingham knife attacks. Lisa McDonald, head of Woodford Green Preparatory, a feeder to Bancroft’s wrote to parents on Wednesday with a “heavy heart and profound sadness” announcing the Year 9 pupil’s death.