Police thank duo who tackled Peterborough knifeman

The dramatic incident unfolded at 1.30pm on Sunday when Vinney King and his father Bernard O’Mahoney were driving along Granville Street, Peterborough, when they saw a man brandishing two large knives running barefoot along the street.

Mr O’Mahoney’s wife and two younger children were in the car but the pair decided to park the vehicle and follow the man. The courageous pair ran after the man asking shaken passers-by which direction he had gone. They were told he had entered the Park Medical Centre and they gave chase. They entered the medical centre where they found a distressed pharmacist who pointed to a nearby room. The pair went into the room and 29-year-old Mr King, a 6ft 2in self-employed ceramic tiler from Dogsthorpe, shouted at the man to drop the knives. He then approached the man and wrenched one knife from his grasp before shouting at him to drop the second knife. Mr King grabbed the second knife and the pair kept the man in the room at the medical centre until police arrived after a few minutes.

Police have now charged a man in connection with the incident.

A spokesman for Cambridegeshire police also thanked the duo for their bravery.

He said: “We would like to thank the member of the public for their brave actions, however, we would not advise people to approach or attempt to disarm a person with a weapon. In this type of scenario we would urge people to move a safe place and call police as soon as possible.”

A 40-year-old man has been charged with possession of a knife in a public place. He was given bail to appear at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on September 14.

MORE: Father and son praised for disarming man brandishing large knives in Peterborough