King Charles' 'thoughts and prayers' are with the family of a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in the Hainault sword rampage, Buckingham Palace said today.  

Two police officers and three members of the public were taken to hospital after a van rammed into a house before a knifeman began began prowling the streets at around 7am. 

Police later confirmed a 14-year-old boy died had in hospital and the two officers will require surgery for serious injuries. 

A  Palace spokesman said today: 'Following the horrific scenes in Hainault this morning, the King has asked to be kept fully informed as details of the incident become clearer.

'His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected - in particular, the family of the young victim who has lost his life - and he salutes the courage of the emergency services who helped contain the situation.'

King Charles III, patron of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, arriving for a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre today 

Chilling footage shows a group of officers descending on the scene to apprehend the man who can be seen to the right dressed in yellow as he runs behind a fence 

The same video later shows the man stood on top of a garage roof before jumping into a garden 

A man 'wielding a sword' was seen 'prowling the streets of east London' earlier this morning

Chilling footage has now emerged of the moment officers descended on the scene moments before a man was arrested at 7.15am. 

A man in a yellow hoodie can be seen running behind a fence gate next to a block of houses. 

Someone can be heard yelling 'come here' and 'drop the sword', as the suspect continues to run from police police. 

This is what we know so far about the terrifying sword attack in east London

6.54am

Police race to Thurlow Gardens area of Hainault after reports a car has driven into a house and multiple stabbings.

7.15am 

 A 36-year-old man is arrested.

7am to 9am

Social media footage emerges of suspect in a yellow hoodie wielding a sword on Laing Close and Franklyn Gardens.

7.30am 

Hainault Tube station closes. Critical incident declared.

9.24am

The London Fire Brigade declares the incident over.

10.04am

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan posts on X that he is 'absolutely devastated' by the incident.

 10.30am

The London Ambulance Service confirms five people have been rushed to hospital.

12.53 pm

Police confirm a 14-year-old boy has been killed and that four others, including two police officers, have been hospitalised.  

The video then cuts to show him on the top of a garage roof as he prowls around the area, still armed with a huge knife. 

Someone can be heard shouting 'come this way, come on' as he tries to coax the man towards the officers. 

One officer then asks the man 'Can you still see him?', before another cop spots him, saying: 'He's there, he's there, he's there, he's there.'

The man recording immediately tries to warn people of the attacker's presence. 

He shouts: 'He's going in people's garden man. Lock your doors, lock your doors. Everyone lock your doors.'

A 36-year-old man was Tasered and arrested at the scene, the Met said. 

Police scrambled to Hainault at around 6.54am  following reports that a van had rammed into a home just before a knifeman started prowling the streets.

He then attacked two officers and passersby before being tasered and arrested in a bloody scuffle in front of horrified residents who heard 'piercing screams'.

Earlier today, locals told MailOnline how they woke to sounds of 'piercing screams' and a man 'covered in blood' outside their homes in the Thurlow Gardens area.

Daniel Garfinkle, who lives outside the station, said: 'I woke up at 7am to lots of shouting.  There was a guy outside covered in blood, near the station and outside my home.

'Police were trying to calm down the man who carried out the stabbing. But he went towards the station. He kept shouting.'

A neighbour from nearby Laing Close, who witnessed the attacks aid they could 'not stop envisioning the boy's face'. 

James Fernando, 39, said the suspect had asked one of his neighbours to 'take the telephone from him to tell whoever was on the phone his location'.

Gana Ignat lives in Andrew Close, across the road from where the attack happened, and witnessed a man leaving the property covered in blood as police arrived.

She told MailOnline: 'I saw something happen outside and heard screams, I didn't understand what had happened and thought maybe it was a child.

There is heavy damage to the front of the vehicle following a collision this morning 

There remains a heavy police presence in the area 

'My daughter came into my room and said 'mum, mum something is happening outside'. 

'I went outside and the police shouted 'no, no please go back in your house' because he is dead.

'I went back into the house, on the second floor, and I saw through the window a man in a yellow hoodie running quickly through the car park outside, though a garden and past another house.

'After a few minutes another lady came outside and was frightened and shouting 'police, police, ambulance' because he was in the house.

'The husband or brother maybe, I don't know, went outside and his hand and arm were covered in blood.

'I saw a woman down on the floor but I couldn't see what had happened to her because of all of the police and ambulances. And then there was the other man covered in blood.

'I saw the man running away and after that I don't know, I saw all the police and a helicopter.'

Another local resident described hearing screaming and shouting early on Tuesday before seeing police cordoning off a nearby road.

Mr Bell said the suspect had been tasered at the scene and arrested 22 minutes after the first call to police was made

New North Road resident Ray Leigh Mason, 44, said 'I heard a shout, something along the lines of 'there's nothing you can do mate', then screaming. 

'The shouting must've been around 06.50am and at the time of it occurring, I wrongly assumed it was neighbours arguing, which quite often happens at all hours.

'I should've been up earlier and likely would have been outside as it happened, but I stayed in bed an extra 15 minutes.

'I looked out of the window to see the police arriving and cordoning off the road. I was told to stay inside, which I did for some time. I then needed to leave for work but with the station closed, I was escorted away down New North Road and needed to walk to Fairlop station.'

Reacting to this afternoon's tragic developments, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: 'I'm sure I speak for the entire city when I say our thoughts are with this young child and his family, It breaks my heart not only that this child has lost his life, but two members of our emergency services have risked their own safety to make sure others weren't injured.

'It shows the danger our police officers face every day and I thank them for their bravery.'

When pushed on whether knife crime had got 'out of control' under his premiership, the mayoral candidate said he hadn't thought about the election since he heard of this morning's incident and his focus was on those caught up in the event.

Emergency services outside Hainault tube station this morning 

Metropolitan Police confirmed in a statement this afternoon that the 14-year-old boy died in hospital and that the two officers require surgery for serious injuries

Another local told The Sun that he saw a man covered in blood standing by his front door. 

Peter Rollison said: 'I live in Laing Close and made my way to Hainault Station this morning.

'There were a lot of police cars around the corner from me. I stopped from a distance to look at all the commotion, then continued with my journey.

'There was a man in his home with his door open, his hand and arm covered in blood.'

A university law student has also told of how the 'Hainault swordsman' resisted arrest when he was surrounded by police in a quiet residential road.

Evelina Deliu said: 'I was woken up by loud noise outside my bedroom window.

'I saw this man in the next door garden cowering on the ground by the banana tree.

'There were police all around him. He was struggling with them.

'The police were shouting 'get down, get down! It took six or seven people to get him down.

'There was a lady (police officer) with them. They were trying to tie him up and put him in hand cuffs. But he was moving his legs and trying to get out. 

'The police were shouting 'don't resist, don't resist! They had to carry him to the car because he was tied up. Then the police started picking things up and putting them in evidence bags.'

Police have said they are not treating the horrifying incident as terror-related 

A 36-year-old man has been arrested whilst police continue their enquiries

Police have said they are not treating the horrifying incident as terror-related 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Hainault stabbings were 'shocking', adding that 'such violence has no place on our streets'.

Speaking at the Society of Editors conference in central London, he said: 'I'd like to give my thanks to the emergency teams that are responding and to pay tribute to their bravery.'

Home Secretary James Cleverly said his thoughts are with those 'affected' by the horror incident in east London this morning. 

He posted on X: 'I am being regularly updated about the incident at Hainault Station this morning.

'My thoughts are with those who have been affected and thank you to the emergency responders I would urge people not to speculate or share footage online and provide relevant information to the police.'