A manhunt is underway in the Welsh village of Aberfan after a heavily pregnant woman was stabbed multiple times in the back as she took her children to school on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred shortly after 9 a.m. near the Ynysowen Nursery School and involved a 29-year-old woman who was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
South Wales Police urged residents to stay indoors and schools were locked down as officers conducted a mass search for the knifeman.
“South Wales Police were called just before 9:10 a.m. this morning with a report that a 29-year-old woman had been stabbed on Moy Road,” a police statement read.
“The suspect left the scene immediately after the incident and inquiries are ongoing to find him.
“A search of the immediate area is being carried out by armed officers. Local schools have activated their lockdown protocols to keep pupils safe whilst the incident is ongoing,” it added.
The injuries sustained by the woman are not believed to be life-threatening.
“She is heavily pregnant, maybe seven or eight months and she was taking one of her kids to school,” one resident told Welsh media. “Aberfan has been through enough without all this,” she added, referencing the village’s dark past after suffering the worst mining-related disaster in British history in October 1966 when a colliery spoil tip collapsed and sparked an avalanche that killed 144 people at the local school.
“It’s a very quiet area. I have lived here for 30 years and nothing like this has happened here,” another woman told the PA news agency.
Merthyr Tydfil MP Gerald Jones said: “I have spoken to police regarding a serious incident in Aberfan this morning. You may see an increased police presence in the area and I’d encourage everyone to co-operate with police officers as they deal with the incident.”
A heavy police presence remains at the crime scene as forensic officers continue their investigations.
This is a developing story.
