Glasgow knife attacker named as 28-year-old Sudanese man

27 June 2020, 21:35

By Nick Hardinges

@NHardinges

The man who was shot dead after stabbing six people in Glasgow on Friday has been named as a 28-year-old from Sudan.

Badreddin Abadlla Adam was named today by Police Scotland who said he had been identified based on information provided to the Home Office earlier this year.

It comes after the police officer who was injured during Friday's knife attack at the Park Inn hotel spoke out and said he will "never forget" what he witnessed.

In a statement on Twitter, Police Scotland said: "The identity is based on information the deceased provided to the Home Office earlier this year.

"Police Scotland will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident in Glasgow.

"The police discharge of firearms resulting in a fatality will also continue to be fully investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC).

"Both of these inquiries, which take place under the direction of the Lord Advocate, are ongoing and it would not be appropriate to speculate either about the events or the outcomes of these investigations."

Pc David Whyte, 42, was named as the police officer who was seriously injured following a stabbing attack at the Park Inn hotel in Glasgow.

He is currently being treated in hospital and his condition has been updated from "critical but stable" to "stable".

Mr Whyte was one of six people injured during the incident at the city centre hotel which was housing asylum seekers. One of those is believed to be a 17-year-old from Sierra Leone.

Read more: Glasgow knife attack - witnesses tell of 'screams for help'

As it happened: Man shot dead by police following stabbing in Glasgow city centre

Suspect shot dead and six people injured in Glasgow incident

In a statement released this afternoon, PC Whyte, speaking for the first time since the attack, said: "The incident myself and colleagues faced in West George Street was extremely challenging. The scene we were confronted with is something I will never forget.

"As the first responders on scene, myself and my colleague did what all police officers are trained for to save lives.

"I would like to thank my colleagues who put themselves in harm’s way to contain this incident and assist with the vital treatment given to myself and others at the scene by other emergency services.

"Despite suffering serious injuries myself, I know that the swift actions of colleagues saved lives and prevented a far more serious incident.

"I would like to thank the medical staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for their outstanding care in the hours following this incident.

"Finally, I would like to thank the public for all their kind messages of support and for the good wishes from all at Police Scotland. It means a lot and has brought both myself and my family great comfort at this difficult time."

Police descend on Glasgow City Centre with reports of multiple stabbings

Speaking about his colleague, the chair of the Scottish Police Federation, David Hamilton, described Mr Whyte as someone who was not afraid of running into dangerous situations.

Mr Hamilton said: "While I don't know David personally, I do know people who do and he is somebody who people say is an absolute rock of the shift.

"He spent all his time and his service in Glasgow city centre and was exactly the type of guy who would run into danger and deal with these things, so there's no surprise from his colleagues.

"They're just hoping that they can see him back at work soon and they can enjoy his company and character again."

Meanwhile, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said he offered his "personal support to all those affected" by the incident.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Friday had been "the toughest of days for Glasgow."

"My thoughts are with everyone involved," she said. "The injury of a police officer, of course, reminds us of the bravery of our police service. They run towards dangers as the rest of us would run away."

The 17-year-old injured during the attack is said to have sustained injuries to his foot following a struggle with the attacker but is believed to be fit enough to communicate and is continuing to receive treatment.

The other injured men, who all remain in hospital, are aged 18, 20, 38 and 53.

Friday's attack is not being treated as terror-related and a formal investigation has started into the police response, which is a normal procedure for a death involving the police.

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner will be involved in examining the action of officers.