Abingdon stabbing: Have-a-go hero tells how he pursued knife-wielding man after fatal knife attack in Poundland

Ross Overton said he was just an 'average Joe' after he followed the knifeman after the stabbing in Oxfordshire before helping to restrain him
Hero: Ross Overton (pictured on the man's legs) restrained a man with the help of an off-duty police officer
Charlotte Jelfs
Jamie Bullen7 December 2015

A have-a-go hero has told how he pursued a knife-wielding man moments after a shopper was stabbed to death in Poundland.

Delivery driver Ross Overton, 31, restrained a man with the help of an off-duty police officer after a man was killed in a branch of the discount store in Abingdon.

A second man is believed to have suffered minor injuries.

Mr Overton told the Standard he heard the man shouting incoherently as he walked past him when he arrived at Poundland to make a morning delivery.

After a victim, believed to be elderly, was stabbed to death inside the store, he saw a man threatening others with knives outside before leaving.

Scene: Police closed the Poundland store after the incident this morning
Colin Dobson

He made the brave decision to follow him with an off-duty police officer before the man turned round to confront them.

Mr Overton told the Standard: “I pursued him for about a minute before he turned round to me and the off-duty police officer and said ‘shake my hand and show me some respect’.

“We said we would shake his hand if he dropped the knives and that’s when a female police officer arrived and said she would Taser him.

“I didn’t know what I was thinking at the time to be honest, I just wanted to follow him, talk to him and see if I could distract him in some way.”

Mr Overton, a father-of-one, said he was angered some bystanders “hid” behind their mobile phones while the distressing attack took place.

He added: “I’m sick and tired of people hiding behind their camera phones. It annoys me. Hopefully I did what anyone else would do.

“Some of my mates have been calling me a legend but I’m just an average Jo - Pele is a legend."

Detectives in Oxford launched a murder inquiry earlier today but said the attack was not a terrorist incident.

A 36-year-old man from the Abingdon area has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: “At this stage this is not being treated as a terrorist incident.

“We understand members of the public are concerned, and officers are in the area dealing with the incident and speaking to people to provide reassurance.”

Jim McCarthy, CEO of Poundland, said: “We are naturally shocked that one of our customers was attacked and has subsequently, despite the best efforts of staff, customers and paramedics, sadly passed away.

"Our sympathy and thoughts centre on the family of the deceased and of course with other customers and colleague who were in the store at the time of this terrible incident.

"My management team are working with the police and we would urge anyone with information to come forward."

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