30 police officers tackle man with machete

[Arron]

• Pot-bellied man screamed at officers 'come on then'

• 'It is crazy no one got seriously hurt or even killed,' says witness

• He was sprayed with CS gas but still kept swinging the 2ft blade

This is the moment a man lunges at police with a two-foot machete - as more than 30 officers try and detain him.

The images shows a pot-bellied man in a distinctive floral shirt viciously swinging the huge blade wildly in the air in Brockley, south London.
As he lurches forward, officers resort to fighting him off with a wheelie bin in an attempt to subdue him.

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A police officer uses a wheelie bin to defend himself when a balding man floral brandishes a machete at police in the broad daylight


Armed: Homeowners called police after the man was spotted standing in the middle of a roundabout holding the lethal weapon

Homeowners called police after the balding man was spotted standing in the middle of a roundabout holding the lethal weapon.
When officers rushed to the scene, witnessed said the man reappeared 'out of nowhere', waving the blade in the air.

The video footage shows the man frenziedly staggering around the normally busy main road grasping the blade in his right hand.

With two squad cars parked in the middle of the road to act as cover, police officers continue to scream at the attacker during the seven-minute video urging him to lay down his weapon.

But ignoring their pleas, he strides around lashing out at anyone who dares step near him.


Swoop: Police officers scream at the attacker during the seven-minute video urging him to lay down his weapon

Police officers rush to restrain the man in New Cross, London, in front of shocked residents

He can be heard screaming 'come on then' before cornering one policeman behind a wheelie bin.

Acting instinctively a brave colleague dashes to hit the machete-wielding man with his baton - before being driven back as the man turns and lashes out.

Officers wielding riot shields and batons can be seen slowly surrounding the man in a horse shoe shape - before rushing him and pushing him to the ground.

Eyewitness Mark Pether, who filmed the astonishing footage from his home overlooking the incident, said: 'Me and some friends were having a barbecue in the back garden when a friend phoned to say she had just seen a man holding a machete stood on a roundabout nearby

The two foot machete used in the incident is discarded on the road


'We thought she was joking - but moments later a load of police cars came screaming around the corner looking for him.

'We then heard this really loud high-pitched yelp and he just came out of nowhere. Eight of them quickly sprayed him in the face with CS spray - but he didn't go down.

'Even though he couldn't see, he was still thrashing around swinging the machete at anyone who came near him. They tried to knock it out of his hand and one even tried to ram a bin in to him.

'Only one guy had a shield - the rest were unarmed apart from these small batons. It is crazy no one got seriously hurt or even killed. It was a terrifying experience.'

Another neighbour, Margaret Brachaniec, said: 'If he had hit someone he would have killed them. He was just crazed.'

The incident happened on Monday, a spokesman for Scotland Yard said.

Mr Pether, 21, who attends Goldsmiths University, added: 'By the end there was at least 35 police officers at the scene - it was mad.

'They eventually got him to lay down his machete and then all the police just rushed him. They pushed him up against a lamppost and put him in a van.

'I don't know what made him take to the streets with a machete but he was clearly angry and upset about something.

'At first I was in complete shock. I thought the stand off was going to go on for an hour, but it was over in 20 minutes once back up arrived.'

A Metropolitan police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Shardelos Road, SE4 on Monday 16 May at approx 18.20hrs to reports of man in the street armed with a machete.

'Officers attended the location where they found the man and called for the assistance of central units.

'They managed to detain the male and disarm him - no officers or members of the public were injured.

'The man was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to a secure medical facility where he remains.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1MjTtJeJE

Direct Link to video: http://bcove.me/do6c2rfv

[Zuth]

This is where our police fail, look at usa police vids, someone ***** with them, they get tasered or shot, simples.

[Rozi]

OH SOUTH LONDON, HOW I LOVE YOU.

But no, I think the police actually do quite a good job. I often see police walking around my area, we've had them knock on the door before asking if we had any issues, when our car got knicked they were very helpful and generally the only complaint I have about them is they took my details cause my FRIEND kicked a bin #teenagerebel2k10

[Stephen]

LOL that's ******* awesome

[HotelUser]

Should have shot at him really

[Jordy]

Yeah at least no one came to any harm and he got arrested, nor did they over-react by shooting him or anything.

I think tasering him would have been ideal in this situation though, it can be fired from 5 metres or so and would of definitely put an end to the situation and not diverted 30 officers over there which is a bit of a waste of resources. Although I suppose there is a bit of a risk he could of hit himself with the machete on the way down?

[GommeInc]

This is where our police fail, look at usa police vids, someone ***** with them, they get tasered or shot, simples.

Waste of ammunition and energy, why tazer someone when you can subdue them with minimal effort.

[Oleh]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just spear him? he'd be whelping in pain and be machete-less

[Inseriousity.]

Waste of ammunition and energy, why tazer someone when you can subdue them with minimal effort.

I wouldn't call 30 officers minimal tbh!
Despite that, glad they got him before he did harm to anyone.

[GommeInc]

I wouldn't call 30 officers minimal tbh!
Despite that, glad they got him before he did harm to anyone.

The numbers were stupid, but the action taken was enough. There's no point tazering someone in this situation and suggesting they shoot him is stupid