A man in his 30s who is believed to be Sudanese has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a knife attack in north Belfast that police have described as brutal.
The incident happened on Monday night, 8th June 2026, around 10:30 PM on Kinnaird Avenue. Officers said they recovered a kitchen knife from the scene.
The victim, a man in his 40s, is now in hospital with serious injuries. According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), he suffered deep slash wounds to his back and face, as well as injuries to his eyes.
Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
Local residents who heard the commotion ran out to help. One person was seen on video holding a hurling stick while confronting the attacker until police arrived.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson called those who intervened “heroic” and said they saved the man’s life.
A woman who called 999 told the BBC she was “standing in the street shaking” while making the call. She had been at home with her partner and children when they heard screaming outside.
A delivery driver handed his phone to her so she could speak to the emergency operator.
“I said: ‘You just need to get here, he’s gonna die’,” she recalled.
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She said she has not watched any video of the attack because what she saw with her own eyes was already too much to handle. She added that she is now afraid to walk to her local shop alone or let her children play outside.
What We Know About the Suspect
The Home Office confirmed that the arrested man was granted refugee status in the United Kingdom in 2023. His leave to remain is valid until 2028.
Police initially believed the attacker was from Somalia, but they have since confirmed he is Sudanese.
Chief Constable Jon Boutcher told reporters that the suspect reportedly travelled from Sudan to Paris, then flew to Dublin, and finally took a bus to Belfast on 10th February 2023 – the same day he claimed asylum.
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Boutcher added that the suspect was not on any national security databases and was not previously known to the PSNI.
Assistant Chief Constable Henderson told a press conference that after speaking with counter-terrorism partners, officers currently have no information to suggest the attack was terror-related. However, he stressed that the investigation is still in its early stages.
He also warned the public against spreading unverified claims online. He said police are aware of false posts about the victim’s condition and asked people to stop speculating.
There have been calls for protests across Northern Ireland following the attack. Some businesses closed early on Tuesday, and the Driver and Vehicle Agency rescheduled all tests scheduled after 5:00 PM. However, bus and rail services continued to run as normal.
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Henderson said there will be more police officers on the streets across Northern Ireland in the coming days, and the PSNI has received offers of help from other UK police forces.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the attack “sickening” and said there would be “absolutely no tolerance” for such violence on British streets.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn thanked the members of the public who showed “extraordinary bravery” and appealed for calm. He added that any foreign national who commits a crime while in the UK should be deported.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson described the stabbing as “chilling” and “medieval”. He called on the government to recognise what he said was “uncontrolled immigration” and asked for the attacker to be deported after any conviction.
Meanwhile, the five main political parties in Northern Ireland released a joint statement condemning the attack. First Minister Michelle O’Neill called it “harrowing” and praised the local community for putting their own safety at risk.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said there was no place for such violence in the community. She shared a story about meeting a young Somali woman on Tuesday who was shaking and in tears because she was so frightened about what had happened.
“There is no reason why she should feel guilt or fear,” Long said. “And that’s what we need to focus on… ensuring our communities are safe for everyone, whether they’re a foreign national or whether they’ve lived here their whole lives.”
The North West Migrants Forum said its members were also frightened and worried about what the attack would mean for them.
Jahswill Emmanuel, founder of Multi-Ethnic Sports and Cultures Northern Ireland, said he was saddened by the situation and that his thoughts were with the victim’s family.
“Anybody would be angry with this incident,” he told the BBC. “But this is our community. My son and daughter were born here, we have no other place to go. So now we have to work together, alongside the police.
“We are still one as a community. Don’t let one person divide us.”
The suspect remains in police custody. Officers have declared a critical incident and are working to establish a full motive. Police have urged anyone with information or video footage to contact them directly rather than sharing material online.
The victim remains in hospital where his condition is described as serious.
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