A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after what police described as a brutal knife attack in north Belfast left another man critically injured.
Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland were called to Kinnaird Avenue at about 10.30pm on Monday. The victim, a man in his 40s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his face, neck and back.
Police said the suspect is a man in his 30s who they believe to be Somali. He remains in custody.
The PSNI has declared the case a critical incident and said officers are working at pace to establish a motive.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: “This is a deeply concerning assault and I have declared this a critical incident. We have commenced an investigation to establish a motive.”
He added that the attack would have sent shockwaves through the community and said police were treating it with the utmost seriousness.
Video circulating online appeared to show a man attacking another man on the ground in the head and neck area while bystanders shouted for him to stop. In the footage, one man can be heard saying: “He’s trying to cut his head off.”
Several members of the public then moved in, with some striking and wrestling the suspected attacker to the ground before police arrived. Politicians and police later praised those who intervened.
Henderson said: “Our officers were on the scene within minutes and we wish to acknowledge the members of the public who strived to save the man from further attack. Their willingness to step forward to help another person shows incredible bravery and community spirit.”
Police and political leaders have urged people not to share the graphic footage online, warning that it risks causing further trauma to the victim’s loved ones and could affect the investigation.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the attack as “sickening” and said he would have “absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets”.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill called the assault “harrowing” and “vicious”, while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly described it as a “shocking and brutal act of violence”.
Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long praised the “brave people who disarmed the attacker” and appealed for the footage not to be shared because it was deeply disturbing.
Local representatives said residents had been left shocked and frightened by the incident. Independent councillor Paul McCusker said some local people had witnessed the attack first-hand and praised those who stepped in, saying he had never seen an attack like it on the streets of north Belfast.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it received a 999 call at 10.39pm and dispatched one emergency ambulance and an advanced paramedic. After treatment at the scene, the injured man was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Police said officers will remain in the area as enquiries continue and have asked anyone who witnessed the attack or has dashcam or CCTV footage to contact them, quoting reference number 1654 of 08/06/26.