Chilling CCTV shows teenage killer fleeing the scene after knifing American tourist to death and stabbing five others in central London rampage
- Zakaria Bulhan, who had moved to London from Norway with his Somali mother, killed an American tourist
- Prosecutors accept pleas to lesser charges and court hears he was suffering from a 'psychotic episode'
- Police ruled out fears the attack was terror-inspired after his history of mental health issues was examined
- Prosecutor says lack of mental health treatment after assessment in London was 'partly behind' attack
- Husband of woman killed says if schizophrenic is released to kill again 'the blood will be on our hands'
Chilling CCTV footage shows a mentally-ill teenager moments after he stabbed an American tourist to death and injured five others in London's Russell Square.
Zakaria Bulhan, 19, killed retired teacher Darlene Horton, 64, who was visiting the UK with her university professor husband, and stabbed five others.
CCTV footage shows the killer in a white T-shirt as he walked away from the scene of his knife rampage before he was Tasered by armed police.
He walks up and down the street with one arm in the air and what looks like a knife in his right hand. He is then chased back by police officers in body armour.
Bulhan, a Norwegian of Somali origin who was living in south-west London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility yesterday. He faces a possible life sentence when he comes before a judge today.
Prosecutors have accepted that schizophrenic Bulhan was in the midst of a psychotic episode at the time after police ruled out a terrorist motive to the attack.
Schizophrenic Zakaria Bulhan has admitted killing an American tourist during a knife rampage in London's Russell Square. He was pictured in CCTV footage walking from his scene with his finger in the air after the attack
Darlene Horton, from Florida, was in the UK with her husband, Richard Wagner, a visiting university professor, at the time
The knife rampage through the busy London square caused widespread shock in August with victims from around the world
The court heard he was assessed by his local mental health trust on 20 April, but received no further treatment despite acting increasingly 'oddly' before the attack.
Bulhan struck just after 10.30pm on Wednesday 3 August in Russell Square, an area popular with tourists, after visiting the East London Mosque in Whitechapel.
The court heard he ran from the Mosque and was later seen moving erratically along the pavement at Russell Square, walking alongside the park railings and holding a large kitchen knife.
He 'smiled and skipped' towards his first victim before continuing the rampage with a 'crazed smile', the court heard.
Londoner Bernard Hepplewhite, 65, shouted in pain as he was stabbed in the abdomen, having travelled to the West End with a friend to see 'Showboat' on Drury Lane with a friend.
He said his attacker showed no sign of anger and simply skipped straight on towards Australian Lillie Sellentin, 23, who had been to see 'Aladdin' at the Prince Edward theatre and was making her way back to her hotel.
She thought she had been punched when she was struck to the right of her ribcage.
'He showed no emotion as he did so, but carried on moving in the same fashion,' said the prosecutor.
It was only when someone shouted 'he's got a knife' that they realised they had been stabbed before Mr Hepplewhite hailed a passing cab to take them to hospital.
Darlene Horton, 64, had eaten dinner with her husband, Richard Wagner, at a restaurant in Bloomsbury before the pair made their way back to where they were staying through Russell Square.
Mr Wagner said a black male rushed past them and as he did so his wife simply said: 'ouch.'
Bulhan (left, as a boy and, right, in a court sketch today) had been brought to Britain from Norway by his Somali mother. He had been assessed by mental health services in London by received no treatment before he carried out the attack
Israeli Yovel Lewkowki, 18, was stabbed in the hand by the killer during the horrific incident
In an emotional Facebook post after the attack, Yovel pleaded with her friends to make the most of life, adding: 'The last few hours have taught me to appreciate every second'
Mr Wagner described how Bulhan ran past them in a 'haphazard manner, swerving and loping towards members of the public'.
It was only then he saw the knife and warned others: 'This guy is trying to stab people.'
American Martin Hoenisch, 59, was the next to be targeted as Bulhan zig-zagged towards him and stabbed him in the chest.
He was on holiday with his wife and the pair had spent their first evening in London at a restaurant in Covent Garden.
David Imber, 40, who is Australian, had arrived in the UK for a holiday on 1 August and had been to see 'Kinky Boots' at the Adelphi Theatre.
He was also struck to the chest after Bulhan came straight towards him.
The prosecutor said: 'Mr Imber made brief eye contact and describes the male having a 'crazed smile' on his face as if he was enjoying it or that he was under the influence of drugs.'
Israeli Yovel Lewkowski, 18, was in London on a four-day holiday with her family and had spent the evening in the West End before she was knifed in the arm.
'She became considerably distressed, feeling overwhelmed and in a state of shock,' said Mr Heywood.
Bulhan denied the attempted murder of Mr Hoenisch, Ms Selletin, Mr Imber, Mr Hepplewhite, and Ms Lewkowski.
But he pleaded guilty to alternative charges of wounding with intent after injuring them in the same attack.
Bulhan was carrying a copy of a book called the Fortress of the Muslims - a daily book of Islamic prayers - and was heard muttering 'Allah, Allah,' but a terrorist motive has been ruled out.
This was the scene in Russell Square shortly after the multiple stabbings in August. Police later ruled out terrorism
Bulhan was living with his mother, step-father and siblings at the time of attacks.
He left school aged 16 and retook his GCSEs at college before dropping out in April 2016 as his mental state deteriorated.
In March last year, he had been referred for treatment for his mental health and his behaviour became more odd leading up to August, the court heard.
Mr Heywood said the pleas were accepted by the Crown having been considered 'at the very highest level'.
He told the judge: 'At the time of these events it has been clearly established the defendant was suffering from an acute episode of a mental illness that has been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia.
'That acute episode was a psychotic one, and floridly so, at the time of these events on 3 August 2016.'
Council workers wash the pavement on Russell Square the day after Bulhan's deadly attack left scenes of chaos
Bulhan was assessed by psychiatrists following his arrest on the night of the attack and held in Broadmoor secure hospital where doctors found he was fit to enter pleas.
He told a psychiatrist at Broadmoor he 'felt dreadful' about what he had done.
'I could never have predicted it, it's surreal,' he said. 'I did everything to stop myself becoming ill. I went to the psychiatrist, I went to the Mosque, I did prayers.'
The court heard an assessment on 20 April 2016 carried out by the East Wandsworth mental health trust found Bulhan was not currently psychotic, but had mood and anxiety symptoms that should be treated by his GP.
But his mother said he became more aggressive and she removed the knives from the kitchen following incidents in which he had a knife in the home and took her mobile phone.
He also thought people were putting spells on him when they spat in his direction, said the prosecutor.
Bulhan's father took him to the Mosque in Whitechapel on the day of the attack because he was ill.
But Bulhan ran away and later told a psychiatrist he believed someone blew on him and put spirits inside him.
The Old Bailey heard he also believed people were trying to kill him, the secret service was tracking him and he was possessed by demons.
Appearing in the dock wearing a grey zip-up jacket, Bulhan spoke only to confirm his name and that he could hear proceedings before entering his pleas.
Forensics officers at the scene. Armed police who tackled Buhlan were today praised for arresting him without opening fire
After the charge of murder was put to him, Bulhan, who was surrounded by health workers, answered: 'Not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility.'
He then pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder before pleading guilty to alternative charges of wounding with intent.
Old Bailey judge Mr Justice Spencer said he will sentence the teenager tomorrow. The judge said there were two realistic options available to him of either a life sentence or a hospital order with indefinite restriction.
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