Three Metropolitan Police officers who faced immense danger - with two severely injured - when they confronted a man who had just killed a teenage boy with a samurai sword have won London Police Bravery Awards.
On the morning of 30 April 2024, PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield, PC Cameron King (pictured right) and Inspector Moloy Campbell (left), were among officers called to an incident in Hainault where a man was going on a rampage with a samurai sword.
He had already killed a 14-year-old boy – Daniel Anjorin - who was on his way to school, and had attacked other members of the public.
It was a chaotic and highly volatile situation as the officers arrived, and the suspect posed an immediate and lethal threat to anyone in his path.
PC King was the first to confront the attacker – who was trying to kill him. He deployed PAVA spray causing the man to run off.
PC Mechem-Whitfield joined him and displayed astounding bravery by directly confronting the armed assailant. Armed only with a Taser and PAVA spray, she pursued the man through an alleyway. She shouted: “Police officer with a Taser”, and the suspect suddenly jumped out in front of her. He slashed her four times with the sword and she fell to the ground.
PC King threw himself between the suspect and his colleague, helping to save her life.
PC King said: “I just remember the sword was all the way back above his head and I just remember him coming down three, four times onto Yasmin's head and just hearing the scream from Yasmin and her just hit the floor.
“I think if there was any more damage that was done it would have been catastrophic for Yasmin. So I kind of put myself in between them both.
"I knew that I didn't have any spray left, I've tried to spray him again, so I've had to throw the can and I've wracked my baton and just shouted at him as loud as I could to get out of the way and to leave.”
The man ran off again and Insp Campbell arrived at the scene and attempted to bring the armed man down with only his baton. He was also attacked with the sword, sustaining a severe laceration to his hand, a wound so deep it split his hand open and cut through tendons, muscles and nerves.
Recalling the incident, Insp Campbell told the BBC last year: "It's a natural instinct: fight or flight, and in that moment it was fight. There was emotion after the event and after it all died down, but there was no fear."
"And I don't think there was much fear from anyone actually, because they're police officers and are expected to take action and that's hard drilled into them and they did it well.
"The only feeling I had was the need to complete what had to be done, which was disarming Monzo and ultimately the preservation of life."
The brutal attack on PC Mechem-Whitfield left her with life-changing injuries, including a fractured skull and severe nerve damage.
In June 2025, Marcus Monzo went to court and was found guilty of murder, three counts of attempted murder, wounding with intent, and the possession of an offensive weapon.
He was jailed for at least 40 years.
PC King said: “It's definitely had an effect on me as a police officer. I'd been quite happy to be the first one through a door or the first one out of the car and chasing someone. But now my mind goes to the what if, because that was an RTC on a Tuesday early turn and it turned into something that some people might never see in their entire 30-year career.”
Metropolitan Police Federation Chair Paula Dodds said: “There aren’t really enough words to describe the incredible courage of Yasmin, Cameron and Moloy.
“These hugely courageous officers placed themselves in mortal danger to protect the public and their colleagues. This was true heroism under the most terrifying of circumstances.
“They are reluctant heroes but heroes they are. They are the best of us and we are very, very proud of them."
She added: “Our thoughts – and the thoughts of all officers involved that day - remain with Daniel’s family.”
Insp Campbell, PC Mechem-Whitfield and PC King will attend the London Police Bravery Awards 2026 on Thursday 26 March.
At the event three overall winners or teams will be announced, and they will attend the National Police Federation Bravery Awards in July.
The Gold sponsors of the London Police Bravery Awards are Police Friendly & Metfriendly, Axon, and Officer Insurance Cover, by Everywhen.
The Silver sponsors are Slater and Gordon Lawyers and JMW Solicitors; and the Bronze sponsors are Police Mortgages, Serve and Protect Credit Union, Accord, THB Solicitors, the National Police Healthcare Scheme, Uniform Mortgages, Addept, No1 CopperPot Credit Union, No5 Chambers, Blackfords and Penningtons Manches Cooper.
