‘Give yourselves up’ police urge youths after undercover drugs cop is stabbed in Bow

Scotland Yard witness appeal (Image: MPS)

One of the youths arrested that night on “suspicion of attempted murder” has been released from custody for the time being.

The 17-year-old, who was held after the plain-clothes officer was stabbed three times in the chest at 9.30pm in an alley next to the Bow Bells pub in Bow Road, has been bailed to return in January, Scotland Yard said today.

Detectives from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command are urging the other three, including a girl, to surrender.

They are also appealing for witnesses who saw the attack in the alley off Bow Road, which leads to Rainhill Way, or may have seen the four teenagers involved arriving in the area from Bow Church DLR station near the pub.

The alley next to Bow Bells pub where police officer was stabbed [Google image] (Image: Google)

“We don’t believe the youths were aware the man they attacked was a police officer,” Det Chief Insp Gary Holmes said. “One of them started a row with the officer who was then stabbed at least three times.”

The officer, in his 40s, had been on an undercover operation to break up gangs loitering in the alley, a notorious hot-spot for illicit drug dealing.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel where he remains in a serious condition, but is recovering.

The teenagers aged around 15 to 17 fled from the scene—but may have also been involved in another incident half-a-mile-away at 9pm the same evening when a motorist was threatened with a knife as they approached his parked car in Purdy Street, near Devons Road DLR. He managed to drive off and was not injured.

Police are urging witnesses in Bow Road at 9.30pm on Tuesday, or anyone with information, to call 020-8345 1572, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111.