Man arrested after knife attack in north Belfast, victim seriously injured

A man in his 30s was arrested after a knife attack outside apartments on Kinnaird Avenue in north Belfast, leaving a man in his 40s in hospital in a serious condition. Police said the suspect remains in custody and is believed to be Somali, while investigators continue to examine the motive behind the assault.

The attack happened at about 10:30pm on Monday, June 8, outside an apartment complex in the lower Antrim Road area. The victim suffered significant injuries to his face, neck and back, and remained under treatment as officers kept the scene cordoned off.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said he had declared the case a “critical incident” and said officers reached the scene within minutes. He thanked members of the public who stepped in to try to stop the attack, and warned against sharing or reposting footage of the violence online. Henderson said circulating the images could traumatize the victim’s loved ones and interfere with the investigation.

The attack drew rapid political reaction across Northern Ireland and from Westminster. Keir Starmer called the incident “sickening” and said he would have “absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence” on UK streets, while thanking first responders and bystanders who intervened.

Michelle O’Neill described the assault as “harrowing” and said she had spoken with Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. Emma Little-Pengelly called the violence “barbaric”, said people have a right to feel safe in their communities, and urged calm.

The case has already spilled beyond the immediate crime scene. Footage shared online prompted calls for a protest, adding a layer of tension around an investigation that is still focused on the facts of what happened on Kinnaird Avenue and the condition of the injured man in hospital.