A police officer who “raced” towards a knife-wielding suspect and single-handedly tackled and disarmed him as he was trying to stab another man has been commended for his bravery.
PC Morgan Younger had stopped at a petrol station on Lee High Road in Lewisham, south-east London, intending to buy a drink on Saturday afternoon at about 3pm.
The officer was outside the shop when he saw a hooded man inside, near the entrance, grab another man around the throat and try to stab him with a large knife.
CCTV footage shows PC Younger in police uniform running towards the suspect, who was in his 60s, tackling him from behind and struggling with the man as he continued to wield the knife.
After bringing the suspect to the ground in the middle of an aisle of groceries, the footage shows the officer single-handedly managing to disarm and restrain him, while calling for back-up.
PC Younger then kept the suspect under control for five minutes until further police officers arrived to help. He also arrested the suspect for attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
The victim, who was in his 40s, was not injured at all “thanks to PC Younger’s swift work”, police said.
Deputy assistant commissioner Jon Savell, who was in charge of policing London over the weekend, praised PC Younger, who is attached to the south east command unit and has five years’ service, saying: “This is outstanding work from an officer who was on patrol alone, saw a very violent crime in progress and, without hesitation, raced in to assist.
“I cannot overstate how proud we are in the Met today of his quick-thinking and bravery. He was calm and professional and everything we want our police officers to be.
“I have no doubt without his intervention, the victim would have been seriously injured.”
The man, who remains in police custody, was later further arrested for handling stolen goods and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, after a quantity of drugs was found at his home address.