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Romanian Charged With Attempted Murder For Knife Attack In London Tourist Hot Spot


A police officer stands by a cordoned-off area on London's Leicester Square on August 12.
A police officer stands by a cordoned-off area on London's Leicester Square on August 12.

A Romanian man accused of stabbing an 11-year-old girl in London’s bustling theater district was charged on August 13 with attempted murder. The day before, Ioan Pintaru had put the girl into a headlock and stabbed her eight times, seriously wounding her, prosecutors said. The girl was hospitalized and required plastic surgery for wounds to her face, shoulder, wrist, and neck, prosecutor David Burns said. Authorities haven't offered a motive for the attack, but police said there was no suggestion the stabbing was terror-related and they don't believe the suspect knew the girl or her mother, who was also stabbed during the attack. Pintaru, 32, a Romanian citizen, was held in custody.

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