Man arrested after Canary Wharf stabbings leave three in hospital

Air ambulance called in as paramedic service warns of ‘very high demand’

Three men were found with stab wounds at Canary Wharf on Monday evening (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

A 22-year-old man has been arrested after three men were rushed to hospital with stab wounds in east London, police have said.

Following reports of a disturbance, police officers, three ambulance crews and an emergency helicopter were called to Canary Wharf at 5.47pm on Monday.

According to the Metropolitan Police, they found three men – two in their 20s and one in his teens – with stab wounds on the popular Pepper Street thoroughfare.

The three individuals were treated by medics at the scene before being taken to a major trauma centre, London Ambulance Service said.

The 22-year-old was arrested on Tuesday at an address in Tower Hamlets on suspicion of Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

He remains in custody at an east London police station.

A Section 60 stop and search order had been put in place until 9am on Tuesday, and a crime scene remained in place that afternoon.

The injuries of all three men are not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

“Police were called at approximately 5:47pm on Monday 19 July to reports of a disturbance in Pepper Street, E14” a Scotland Yard spokesperson said.

“Officers attended along with colleagues from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) and found three males with stab injuries.

“All three men – two in their 20s and one in his teens – were treated for stab injuries and were taken by LAS to an east London hospital.”

It came as the London Ambulance Service warned that its call handlers were “working in challenging circumstances as we experience very high demand”.

“We are incredibly busy. Please only call us in an emergency,” the ambulance service said on Monday, as the government abandoned nearly all coronavirus restrictions after 16 months of social distancing.