The hero police officer who rugby tackled the Reading terror suspect was a rookie and had only been in the job for 14 months.
The father-of-two was able to pin 25-year-old Khairi Saadallah to the ground, as he tried to flee the scene of the attack in Forbury Gardens, Reading, at around 7pm on Saturday.
Saadallah, a Libyan given asylum in 2018, was arrested on suspicion of murder. The victims of the stabbings were three friends enjoying a picnic — Joe Ritchie-Bennett, 39, David Wailsand James Furlong, 36.
The PC, who police are not identifying, had only been with the force for 14 months when he bravely apprehended Saadallah.
Speaking about the hero PC, a source told The Sun: ‘He’s an absolute legend. Everyone has been talking about him. His family and friends are so proud, as you can imagine.
‘Very senior police officers at the force have also expressed their thanks. It’s incredible. He’s a credit to the force and policing. We all think he deserves a medal.’
James Antell, a parliamentary researcher who works for Tory MP Chris Loder, also ran towards danger and used his own shirt to stem the bleeding on one victim, and used CPR on a second victim until paramedics arrived, as reported by The Times.
In other developments:
- The remaining victims were named as David Wails, 49, a senior scientist at a global chemicals company, and Joe Ritchie-Bennett, 39, a pharmaceutical worker originally from the US, who died along with history teacher James Furlong, 36;
- Police refused to rule out the possibility it may have been a homophobic attack;
- The Home Secretary outlined plans to speed up deportation of foreign criminals, after No 10 vowed that ‘lessons will be learned’ from the attack;
- The country’s former top counter-terror police officer, Sir Mark Rowley, warned that police and security services faced a ‘wicked problem’ deciding which of the 40,000 known threats could launch a terror attack;
- Police were granted more time to question Saadallah, who was arrested on Saturday.
- The family of David Wails, the third victim killed in the Reading knife attack, said he ‘never hurt anyone in his life’, adding: ‘We are broken hearted at losing him and in such a terrible way’.
Saadallah, a Libyan given asylum in 2018, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody
Police forensics officers dressed in Tyvek protective PPE (personal protective equipment) suits and wearing masks, prepare to conduct a search as they work outside the walls of Forbury Gardens park in Reading yesterday
Footage circulated on social media that appeared to show the Forbury Gardens stabber being arrested
Floral tributes are left at Forbury Gardens, in Reading town centre, today near the scene of a multiple stabbing attack
James Antell rushed towards danger and helped two people who were injured in a knife attack in Reading on Saturday night
Mr Loder (pictured) said he was ‘extremely proud’ of his researcher’s ‘remarkable and extraordinary effort’
A forensic officer at Forbury Gardens, in Reading town centre, today, the scene of a multiple stabbing attack which took place at around 7pm on Saturday, leaving three people dead
He was praised in parliament by Mr Loder who said: ‘In the same way that [Tobias Ellwood] did so in March 2017, another member of our parliamentary family who by chance was at Forbury Gardens on Saturday, ran courageously towards danger, his only focus to help the injured.’
Mr Loder added that he was ‘extremely proud’ of his researcher’s ‘remarkable and extraordinary effort’.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Antell previously studied at Cambridge University and spent time in America at Harvard and at the University of Georgia.
He worked as a Analyst for CIL Management Consultants before starting work with Mr Loder this year.
After being hauled to the ground by the unnamed police officer, Saadallah was arrested on suspicion of murder.
He was later re-arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act, which gives powers to hold him without charge for up to 14 days.
A specialist mental health team was asked to search for Khairi Saadallah after officials failed to find him during a routine check at his home
Police tents in Forbury Gardens in Reading town centre two days ago as they investigate the crime
Witnesses said the suspect, Libyan-born Khairi Saadallah, first targeted a group of men who were sitting together and drinking in the early evening sunshine at Forbury Gardens in Reading on Saturday evening
Flowers are placed at the entrance to the Holt School, Wokingham, Berkshire, in memory of teacher James Furlong, a victim of the terrorist attack in Forbury Gardens, Reading, on Saturday in which three people died
Police forensics officers carry out a search near Forbury Gardens in Reading town centre yesterday afternoon
Pictured: Paramedics and investigators in forensic suits at the scene on Saturday after the stabbing incident
Saadallah, a refugee of the civil war in Libya who briefly came to the attention of MI5 last year, was released from prison earlier this month after he was convicted of non-terror offences and police had reportedly been in contact with him just hours before the attack.
It came as police revealed Saadallah, 25 — known as Libya — may have known the three dead men. Former convicts who knew Saadallah have today claimed he was addicted to synthetic drug spice.
Earlier it was revealed a specialist mental health team was asked to search for Khairi Saadallah after officials failed to find him during a routine check at his home last Friday. Later that evening, just before midnight, he was found on a street in Reading, sources disclosed.
Saadallah is believed to have then been taken home to his council flat in the south of the town – and just hours later is alleged to have stabbed three men to death as they sat in a local park, Forbury Gardens.
Several police and psychiatric nurses, known as a ‘street triage’ team run jointly by Thames Valley Police and the NHS, encountered the 25-year-old Libyan after an alert was raised as part of his psychiatric care, sources said.
It came as a former Labour justice minister revealed in the Commons that Saadallah had been released from prison just 16 days before being arrested over the terror attack.
Maria Eagle said: ‘The person who has been arrested suspected of these offences has been reported as being of interest to the security services as a potential terrorist sympathiser and was released well before the end of his sentence from a prison – a mere 16 days before this murderous rampage took place.’
Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was unable to comment given the police investigation, but it will raise further concerns that the authorities missed opportunities to prevent Saturday’s knife attacks.
An air ambulance was pictured landing near the scene of the stabbings before it carried the injured victims to hospital
Forensic officers work near Forbury Gardens, in Reading town centre, the scene of a multiple stabbing attack which took place yesterday
Official documents seen by the Mail show Saadallah – who the Mail reported yesterday was on the radar of security service MI5 last year – was under the care of psychiatric specialists. One said: ‘He has various mental health issues and a history of debt and homelessness, as well as alcohol and substance misuse, and is aggressive and unpredictable.
‘A psychiatric report dated May 21, 2019, from Dr Hasanen Al Taiar, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, concluded that he showed features of post-traumatic stress disorder and of emotionally unstable personality disorder.’ In one encounter with the police in November 2018, officers found Saadallah on a bridge where he threatened to throw himself off, the official documents show.
Saadallah is also understood to have been involved in the government’s Prevent deradicalisation programme, as reported by The Times. He was assessed by mentors in scheme who judged him to not be a terror threat.
The Home Office is also likely to face renewed scrutiny over its handling of Saadallah’s asylum application. He was granted five years’ leave to remain in this country on humanitarian grounds in 2018.
Critics called on the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice to reveal exactly how Saadallah’s case was handled – and whether tougher enforcement could have helped save three lives.
Last night the father of one of the victims Joe Ritchie-Bennett said there should be an inquiry into possible failures.
Robert Ritchie, 71, a college professor in Philadelphia who lectures on counter terrorism after retiring as a chief inspector from the police, said: ‘The Prime Minister said there was going to be an inquiry and he said if there’s lessons to be learned we’ll make adjustments to immigration policy. We’re grappling with the same kind of issues in this country. It’s a tough call. Especially here.
‘My understanding is they will look at possible failures and will make any possible changes they have to make. I know the Prime MInister is involved and we fully support him and all that.’
Tributes were paid to Joe Ritchie-Bennett, 39, originally from Philadelphia in the US, history teacher James Furlong, 36, and David Wails today.
Colleagues and pupils of victim James Furlong take part in a silence at his school, the Holt School, in Wokingham today
The father of American victim Joe Ritchie-Bennett, Robert Ritchie-Bennett, said today: ‘I was absolutely blessed and proud to be Joe’s father for 39 years and we are heartbroken by what has happened.’
His brother-in-law, Stephen Bennett, and sister-in-law Katy Bennett, said: ‘Joe was the most kind, caring and loving person that you could meet.
‘We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken. Joe will always be with us in our hearts. We ask that you respect our privacy during this time.’
James Furlong’s parents, Gary and Janet, said: ‘James was a wonderful man. He was beautiful, intelligent, honest and fun.
‘He was the best son, brother, uncle and partner you could wish for. We are thankful for the memories he gave us all.
‘We will never forget him and he will live in our hearts forever.’
A heart-shaped floral tribute to the three victims could be seen outside the Blagrave Arms pub in Reading, alongside candles and a note which read: ‘The Blagrave Arms management and staff are devastated at the announcement that the three people who died in the Forbury Gardens attack on Saturday were regular customers and very dear friends of ours.
‘Our hearts go out to their family and friends, and the other victims of this horrific incident.’
A message among the flowers paid tribute to the three, adding: ‘Our friends were the kindest, most genuine, and most loveliest people in our community that we had the pleasure in knowing.
‘They’ll be forever in our thoughts.’
A friend said Mr Ritchie-Bennett and history teacher Mr Furlong were ‘great supporters’ of the LGBT+ community.
‘Their loss is a tragedy to so many people,’ Martin Cooper, 36, who is chief executive of LGBT+ charity Reading Pride, told the PA news agency.
‘They will be sorely missed by myself personally and many in the community.’
Mr Ritchie-Bennett’s father said the attack had caused ‘some of the worst days of my life’ and led to ‘sleepless nights’.
Speaking in the US, Robert Ritchie-Bennett said: ‘We’re going to bring him back here and bury him here because we want him close by.’
Meanwhile, a friend of the three attack victims, Michael Main, described the ‘amazing, caring and beautiful men’ he had known for six years.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he recalled Mr Wail’s ‘dry sense of humour’ and how ‘he would do anything for anyone that he could’.
Mr Main said Mr Furlong was a ‘passionate’ and ‘inspirational’ teacher, while Mr Ritchie-Bennett was a ‘funny and a happy-go-lucky, true and unique individual’.