‘True hero’, 20, died saving great-great-grandmother, 84, from knifeman outside London kebab shop
Pictured: ‘True hero’ bystander, 20, who died saving the life of a great-great-grandmother, 84, after getting between her and frenzied knifeman in random London kebab shop attack
Betty Walsh, 84, was punched to the floor and stabbed as she went to get a kebab for her dinner last nightA 20-year-old was fatally stabbed when he tried to help her in Brentford, London, and stave off attackerSuspect has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and is being quizzed tonightBetty is awake in hospital and has been asking her family what the score was from Friday’s 5-0 England match
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A 20-year-old hero was fatally stabbed as he saved a great great grandmother, 84, from being repeatedly knifed at random by an attack in a west London kebab shop.
Retired barmaid Betty Walsh was punched to the floor as she went to get a kebab supper at Best Kebab and Fish Bar on Albany Parade, Brentford, west London, before being stabbed last night.
The knifeman fatally stabbed a 20-year-old man, Ali Abucar Ali, who tried to help her.
Betty’s family said the pensioner is no longer on the ‘critical’ list after undergoing a kidney operation following the horrific attack.
They said it was too early to say when she will be allowed to leave St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
Ali Abucar Ali, 20, was found dead by police and paramedics after they were called to reports of a stabbing on Albany Parade at 8pm yesterday evening
Betty Walsh, suffered multiple stab wounds when a man armed with a knife went on the rampage outside Brentford kebab shop Best Kebab and Fish Bar on Albany Parade
Police at the scene in Albany Parade in Brentford, where Ali Abucar Ali was killed and pensioner Betty Walsh is in a critical condition in Paddington Hospital
The 20-year-old victim, Mr Ali, was hailed a ‘hero’ for trying to help the OAP before he was killed.
He was described as a hardworking man who had recently won a scholarship.
Ali’s mother had rushed to comfort Betty’s family before she got the devastating news from police that her son had been knifed to death.
Betty, affectionately known as ‘Betty Boo’ to all her friends, has lived in Brentford all her adult life and was a barmaid at four local pubs before she retired.
She has been described as a ‘rock’ for her three sons and three daughters after her husband died more than 30 years ago.
Now she also has 10 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and a great great granddaughter.
Her eldest daughter, Bridget, 60, said: ‘Everyone knew mum. She has lived in Brentford for 60 years.
‘She was lively and fit, she walked every day and was a strong woman and went out shopping a lot – she wasn’t frail at all.
‘She was football-mad and Brentford FC-mad.
The double stabbing happened on Albany Parade in Brentford on Friday. Police are investigating if there is any link between the assailant and the victims
Flowers at the scene in Albany Parade, Brentford, where the brutal knife attack unfolded last night under cover of darkness
A wellwisher brings flowers today to lay at the scene where a hero was killed saving the life of a woman stabbed by a knifeman
The crimescene was being guarded by officers today as they collected evidence on the attack in Brentford
‘She worked in four pubs and worked really hard.
‘Sadly, her husband died more than 30 years ago so she brought us all up by herself and was the rock of the family.
‘This will probably have shaken her up quite a lot.
‘She didn’t realise she had been punched and didn’t realise she had been stabbed until someone came out to help her.
‘Ali went up and asked what all the commotion was about, challenged her attacker and tried to help her.
‘What happened to him next was a tragedy. ‘
‘After her operation she was able to talk to us on the phone and was asking about the football score this morning.
‘Last night I got back from work and was told ‘mum’s been stabbed.’ I was so scared and in complete shock.
‘I am just glad she is alive.
‘The suspect has caused trouble locally for quite a while. He used to walk around in a full scary balaclava. He clearly has some sort of mental health issues.
‘We just want to thank the police and all the neighbours who helped our mum.
‘They were there instantly and kept us informed. They are heroes.
‘We are praying our mum makes a full and speedy recovery.’
Ali’s family did not want to comment when approached.
Bridget added: ‘I knew him and his mother. They are a very good family.
‘His mother had rushed to comfort me as soon as she heard about what happened to mum, before the police phoned her and told her the devastating news that her son had so sadly been stabbed.
‘Ali was a really hardworking, good lad who had recently won a scholarship, we think it was to play basketball.’
This morning, a suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder following the knife horror outside the at around Best Kebab and Fish Bar on Albany Parade at 8pm last night.
Cops do not believe the attack was terror-related.
Friend of Bridget’s daughter, Julie Carter, 62, said: ‘I am in shock.
‘She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I really hope she pulls through.
‘She worked at The Griffin pub many years ago and was very sociable and chatty.
‘She had lots of friends around here and I would always say hello to her if she walked past.’
A local resident said: ‘I heard about how the boy went to help the old lady from a friend. He was a hero. What he did was so honourable, and it is such a shame he died.’
Another witness said: ‘I was going to get a kebab but when I went out, I saw the police arrive. The boy was on the floor covered in blood and they were trying to give CPR, but he could not be saved.’
A woman, who did not want to be named, said: ‘We watched paramedics trying to revive the young man and we saw them pronounce him dead at the scene, just awfully sad.’
Another witness said around 10 police cars and vans raced to the scene across the road from the The Royal Horseguardsman pub.
Local residents claimed on social media that the knifeman was well-known in the area and often struck fear into locals.
One said: ‘I have walked past the man in question and seen him screaming at random people, because I had three kids with me I crossed over the road.
‘I’ve seen him being arrested after attacking people and three weeks later he’s back doing the same thing.’
Another claimed: ‘This man has been a loose cannon for months intimidating people and now a young boy had died at his hands and an elderly lady stabbed walking home, makes me sick.
‘He is dangerous, a month ago he was wielding a knife.’
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help the family of Ali.
