Stab attack on Army officer not terror-related, police believe

A knife attack on a uniformed Army officer is not thought to be terror-related and the suspected attacker may have mental health problems, police have said.

Kent Police said a number of knives have been recovered from the scene in Sally Port Gardens in Gillingham where a serviceman aged in his 40s was left with serious injuries just before 6pm on Tuesday.

Shocked witnesses described hearing screams as the officer was repeatedly stabbed by a masked attacker who fled the scene on a moped.

Head of the Army General Sir Roly Walker condemned the stabbing as “horrific and unprovoked”, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked and appalled”.

In an update on Wednesday, Kent Police said the serviceman, who was airlifted to hospital, is in a serious but stable condition.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a moped was stopped in Mooring Road, Rochester, around 30 minutes after the stabbing.

Neighbours described seeing a handcuffed man being led away by police, and investigators remained at a house in the road on Wednesday, with sniffer dogs also being used in part of the road.

Acting Chief Superintendent Richard Woolley said: “This was an upsetting incident for all concerned and our best wishes go to the victim, his family and those who witnessed the incident.

“Residents will experience an increased police presence in the Gillingham area, and I would like to reassure everyone that officers responded quickly to take a man into custody and we do not currently believe anyone else was involved.

“The motivation for the attack is currently unknown and forms part of our ongoing inquiries, although we are exploring the possibility that it may be mental health-related. We are also investigating any possible links between the location and the suspect.

“There is no further information at this time to suggest there are any wider threats to the local community including members of the armed forces.”

Alex Reynolds, 38, who lives near the scene, said he heard screams and went outside to see a man wearing a cream camouflage military uniform lying on the ground, surrounded by people trying to help.

Mr Reynolds’ Ring doorbell footage captured the screams, with someone heard shouting: “What the hell are you doing?”

He was told that the victim goes for a walk every night at around 6pm.

Another witness, who lives near the Brompton Medical Centre that is close to the scene, described the officer’s wife asking for medical help.

She said she heard the woman say: “My husband has been stabbed – is there a first aider?”

One woman living near the scene said she was sitting down to dinner with her family when they heard a “huge scream”.

As they got to the window, she saw the attacker inflicting a final stab wound on a person who was on the ground, before fleeing on a moped.

“It’s very, very scary,” she said.

Another witness, who rushed to the victim’s aid, told The Sun newspaper the attacker ran at the soldier and stabbed him repeatedly.

The victim had “wounds all over his body”, the witness said, adding: “Blood was everywhere as I tried to apply pressure to his wounds until the police arrived.

“When the guy’s wife came out and started trying to pull the guy off he didn’t even try to hurt her.”

Defence Secretary John Healey and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper both expressed their shock at the attack.

Sir Roly, who is chief of the General Staff, said in a post on X: “I am deeply saddened by the horrific and unprovoked attack on an officer yesterday.

“Our armed forces make extraordinary sacrifices to defend our nation and deserve to be respected.

“My thoughts and best wishes are with him and his family. They have the full support of the chain of command as they recover from this horrendous incident.”

The road where police said the incident took place is near Brompton Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army’s 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.

An Army spokesman said: “We’re very sorry to confirm that a soldier has sustained serious injuries in an attack in Chatham, Kent.

“Our thoughts are with the soldier and their family and we request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.

“We will continue to work closely with Kent Police to understand what happened and support the investigation.

“Anyone who witnessed the attack or who has any relevant information should contact Kent Police.”

It is understood that security was tightened up at the base in the immediate aftermath of the attack, but has since returned to normal levels.