An Afghan national, arrested after a triple stabbing which left a dog walker dead, arrived in the UK in a lorry in 2020 before being granted asylum and leave to remain in 2022.
The 22-year-old has been held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after three people were attacked on Midhurst Gardens in Uxbridge at about 5pm on Monday.
A 49-year-old dog walker was treated at the scene but died.
A second victim, a 45-year-old man suffered life-changing injuries while a third, a 14-year-old boy, sustained injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening or changing.
Home Office officials confirmed the Afghan man had been granted leave to remain in 2022 after arriving in the UK illegally.
The incident is not being treated as terrorism and Met Police detectives are looking to see whether there was any relationship between the suspect and the victims.
Residents say a fight had broken out involving the unnamed Afghan who was living as a lodger in the home of the 45-year-old.
Eyewitnesses say the 22-year-old Afghan chased two victims out of the house before the dog walker was slashed across the neck.
A tent was set up by police on the street in Uxbridge
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Footage posted online showed the suspect walking along a residential street before two police officers ran after him, shouting “drop the knife”.
Police also told the man to “get on the floor”.
Others joined before a Taser was fired and the man fell to the ground.
A Home Office spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those impacted by this horrific incident”.
Forensics inspect the scene in Uxbridge
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“We are receiving regular updates from the Metropolitan Police,” the spokesman added.
“The priority must now be for the police to investigate so those responsible can be brought to justice.”
Officials have said the Afghan is not a resident of an asylum hotel or any other Home Office accommodation.
Met Police Chief Superintendent Jill Horsfall said the suspect lived “in a private address”.
One witness said to the Daily Mail that the man “was chasing a man and a boy around the road and a local man who was with his dog tried to stop it”.
The witness added that “there was blood everywhere and the paramedics” were around for at least 30 minutes trying to save the man’s life.
“It was absolute carnage and very distressing to see,” they added.
A local said the dead man was “very well known around here”.
“He’s a lovely guy, very gentle and peaceful,” the local added.
A neighbour said the dead man was a bin man who had just been on a dog walk “that he does every day”.
Another neighbour said he had heard sirens about 5pm on Monday.
One local claimed the Afghan national had been living as a lodger for the past six months in the 45-year-old’s home.
