Yes, shocking though it is, a 25 year-old bearded man is in custody for allegedly hacking off the heads of two cats that he tracked down before doing exactly the same thing to an 82 year-old woman, Palmira Silva, who I will presume for the time being was the owner of the cats (but at this time it is not clear). The police have concluded this is not a terrorist act but I am not sure that is correct.
The lady may also be related to the killer or known by the killer but I now learn that the killer tried to enter the properties of other people so it seems this might have been a random killing. He was heard screaming ‘where’s the cat’ before finding them (or at least one) in a garden where he decapitated them in full view of at least one person who said there was blood everywhere.
This grisly, despicable crime occurred in North London (Edmonton). There are two outstanding aspects of this macabre event in an ordinary suburb of London: the killer appears to be copying the Islamic State beheadings and why did he have to kill the cats? Why are cats so often the innocent victims of crimes between people?
This story has hit the headlines across all the newspapers and at one stage people were querying whether this was a terrorist attack but that has been ruled out. It appears to be a regular murder except for what seems to be a copycat method.
On the radio this morning I learnt that the alleged murderer is a recent convert to the Islamic faith and also a drug taker. This does seem to be the behavior of a deranged person who has, no doubt in my mind, got ideas from the Islamic State on how to kill in the most barbaric manner.
Update: this is man who is under suspicion of committing the murder:
The problem is that anyone at anytime can perpetrate this sort of crime in the UK. The police can’t stop it so if a person does not mind going to prison for a very long time (30-40 years) on conviction then this sort of thing will happen again. Fanatical people are not that bothered about being caught and convicted. It is very dangerous in London nowadays.
I think the “Muslim convert”will be a red herring. Before attacking the cats he yelled “the cats have stolen my lighter”. He also attacked a car, breaking a window. He had wanted to be a cage-fighter, which indicates some level of aggression. Considering similar random killings/violent assaults (by others), he may well be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Religious “experiences” can also result from schizophrenia as people who hear voices inside their heads don’t recognise the voices as being their own inner voice. All very sad. Equally sad is the Islamophobia that has resulted from what may be a mentally ill individual. Schizophrenics of other religions have committed equally heinous acts, under the delusion they have to rid the world of gays/immorality/whatever, but the root of their behaviour is the mental illness, not the religion.
In my youth, wearing love beads and loving the teachings of Kahlil Gibran were some of the fads.
The fads today involve carrying weapons and committing mass murder.
Most U.S. states have the death penalty which I have always opposed. But, this maniac would, probably, receive that sentence for killing that woman if some snazzy lawyer didn’t get him off as legally incompetent. Horribly, decapitating the 2 cats would only cost him a slap on the wrists.
I agree. As far as I know the perpetrator is not mentally ill (that may change) but we are told he was a drug user. To me it appears that this was a type of terrorist act. The murderer seems to have targeted a white person and although we don’t know and I must be sensitive to this, I expect the killer to be black or Asian. Wait and see. So, I agree there is evil behind this.
Anyway if a person has lost their mind because they take drugs it is of their making. For me they are still to blame.
That is not necessarily true! To ALWAYS blame a mental illness as to when someone does a horrendous act, not only gives them an excuse to act violently, it also adds panic towards mentally ill people, because people form ideas this is the way mentally ill people behave! There is such a thing that is called EVIL.. There is also a thing called MEANNESS…. Any number of people can be driven by either or both! Unfortunately, that does exist in our world! Then when people add alcohol and or drugs into the equation, you have people acting ‘off’ in the head. It exaggerates their already evil driven thoughts. Its sad but true! Too bad he will never receive the same penance for his wicked cruelty.
That would be horrible reading it in the Paper. I find it horrible hearing about this. No Cat or Older Person deserves for this to happen.
This is awful, I’ve just been reading about it in our newspaper, it makes me feel ill to think of that poor old soul and her cats being in such terror and killed in such a horrible and public way, and then to read that the murderer is being treated in hospital following being tasered by the police, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tries to get him compensation! He should have been shot dead instantly, no ifs or buts, he shouldn’t be allowed one more breath of fresh air, there is no doubt it was he who killed them all and why should being off his head with drugs be an excuse, he should be eliminated and in as horrible and painful a way possible asap.