Five people injured in Belfast stabbing

BELFAST: Five people had been injured in an overnight stabbing in Belfast city centre. Three people were arrested, two on suspicion of attempted murder, following the violent incident in York Street. Police received a report just after 2am on Wednesday that a woman had been stabbed and a man had been attacked in the area.

When officers arrived, ambulance personnel were already in attendance.

Police said four women reported injuries sustained as a result of being stabbed. A man aged in his 20s also sustained a minor injury to his hand.

Two of the women, one aged in her 20s and the other in her teens, were taken to hospital for treatment.

The other two women were treated at the scene by ambulance crew members. Police said two women, aged 26 and 27, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of several offences, including attempted murder and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

A man, 20, was also arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. They all remained in custody on Wednesday morning.

PSNI Detective Sergeant O’Flaherty said: “Our enquiries into this incident, which we are treating as attempted murder, are continuing and we are working to establish exactly what happened.” The officer urged anyone who was in the area at the time or who has information about the incident to come forward.