A deadly sword rampage in which 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin was killed on his way to school in north-east London has prompted the Metropolitan Police to issue hundreds more officers with Tasers. An estimated 458 additional frontline staff have been accredited to carry the 50,000-volt stun guns since the attack, according to data released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Scotland Yard said Tasers played a key role in preventing further loss of life when officers used them to stop Marcus Monzo during his 20-minute rampage. Monzo, 37, fatally slashed Daniel with a samurai sword as he left his east London home on April 30 last year.
A force spokeswoman told the Evening Standard Tasers are a vital tool for officers.
They added: “As footage from body cameras at the Hainault attack shows, using a Taser was the most effective way for unarmed officers to incapacitate the suspect from a distance and bring him to the ground.”
Following Daniel’s death, several reviews were carried out on officer safety, training, and post-incident care.
Officers were also given renewed guidance on situational awareness and tactical options when confronting armed suspects, alongside reminders of their powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which governs how and when they can stop, search, detain, and arrest suspects.
Home Office data shows Tasers were deployed more than 33,000 times across England and Wales in the year ending March 2024, though most incidents did not involve firing.
Officers often rely on the “red-dot” warning to gain compliance without discharge.
The Met added: “A proactive decision by officers at the Hainault attack to pursue the suspect enabled his detention, and we commend their courage.
“Without their actions, many more lives could have been lost.”