Newsagent stabbed in back in unprovoked attack in Bristol shop

LONDON: Detectives have launched a nationwide appeal following the attempted murder of a newsagent in Bristol.

Selthavas Murugesu, 49, was stabbed multiple times in the back as he mopped the shop floor of Bobby’s Newsagents. CCTV footage released by police shows a man standing behind Murugesu as he mops by the drinks aisle at 7.40am on August 18.

The man, described as aged in his late teens or early 20s, picks up a can before appearing to take a knife out of his coat. After being stabbed, Murugesu bravely fought off his attacker and chased him out of the store before calling police.

Detective Inspector Ben Lavender, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: “We’re extremely concerned the man responsible for this violent assault could offend again and we need to identify the man in the CCTV as a matter of urgency. There is no clear motive for this alarming incident, in which Mr Murugesu was very lucky to escape with superficial injuries. While we’ve put extensive resources into this inquiry we still don’t know who the man in the CCTV footage is and we now really need the public’s help.

“As part of our investigation we’ve consulted with the National Crime Agency and a forensic clinical psychologist and they have told us, due to the unprovoked nature of the attack, they believe the offender could be a risk to the public. We’ve reached out locally to our partners working in the health and education sectors to see if they can assist in identifying the man in the CCTV but we don’t know for certain that he’s local to the Avon and Somerset area. The quality of the CCTV is exceptional and I’m sure someone will recognise the man, and I urge anyone who does to contact us as soon as possible.”