Palmira Silva was beheaded by a crazed knife attacker in Edmonton, north London, on Thursday. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA WireA crazed knife attacker who beheaded an 82-year-old grandmother after killing a pet cat remains in hospital under police guard as officers waited to question him yesterday.
The 25-year-old murdered Palmira Silva in Edmonton, north London, on Thursday, after going on the rampage through back gardens ranting about cats.
Police were forced to stage a dramatic evacuation operation to save neighbours, and an armed squad tasered the knifeman as he struggled against officers, leaving one with a broken wrist.
Yesterday staff in shops near the cafe that the Italian pensioner ran were stunned by news of her death.
Silva’s Cafe in Church Street, near Edmonton Green station, was shuttered up as local people tried to come to terms with the tragedy.
Dilek Solma, 19, working behind the counter in a fruit and vegetable shop next door, said: “I’m so upset. She was a very smiley lady, always had a smile on her face, and loved the community. If somebody dropped something in here, she would help pick it up. Although she was 82, she was younger than me, and I’m 19. I don’t know what the world’s coming to.”
She had known Silva for three years, since she started working in the fruit and vegetable store.
Sales assistant Raj Thangavelselvaraj, 50, who works in a newsagent next to the cafe, said: “She would come in to buy greetings cards for her grandchildren. She was a nice lady, she was a good lady to everyone. It’s very sad.”
On Thursday witnesses described seeing a man dressed in black, waving a machete weapon as he wandered screaming and shouting through back gardens.
A neighbour who knew Ms Silva said the widow was “such a sweet lady” who had lived in the house for more than 25 years and still went to work every day.
The neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she was “devastated” by what had happened. She said: “She was such a sweet lady. She was slow getting around but she still went to work. I think really after her husband died that’s what kept her going.”
She was a good lady to everyone. It’s very sad
The house in the busy street where Silva’s body was found was the scene of a major police operation that continued into the night.
Scotland Yard said that its officers distracted the man after he was seen going through back gardens in Nightingale Road to prevent him attacking anyone else, while they evacuated people from nearby homes. Officers from the Met’s homicide and major crime command are also investigating an attempted attack on two people at another house in the road before Silva was killed.
Meanwhile yesterday police shot dead a man who was threatening a woman with a knife in north London. Residents in a leafy street said they woke up at around 1am yesterday to hear a volley of gunshots and saw the area swamped with police cars and armed officers.
Scotland Yard said the man, 40, died on his way to hospital.
The man and the woman involved are believed to have known each other.