It was just a typical school morning in East London when everything changed in an instant.
In the quiet streets of Hainault, 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin was simply walking to school—until he was tragically and violently killed in what would turn out to be one of the most shocking acts of violence the city has seen in years.
This wasn’t random rage. This was a 20-minute, drug-fueled rampage by a man wielding a samurai sword, high on cannabis, and deluded into thinking he was a Hollywood assassin.
Killer Believed He Was in a Movie
The attacker, 37-year-old Marcos Arduini Monzo, had convinced himself he was a character from The Hunger Games—a deadly game show-style film where survival means killing others.
Under the influence of drugs, Monzo’s grasp on reality shattered.
He launched his attack early in the morning on April 30, 2024, believing he was carrying out a mission from some twisted alternate world.
Before targeting Daniel, Monzo had already begun his spree.
He deliberately drove a van into a man named Donald Iwule, then jumped out and chased him with a 60cm sword, slashing at his neck and torso.
Miraculously, Iwule managed to escape with his life.
A Life Taken in Seconds
Sadly, Daniel wasn’t so lucky. The court heard how Monzo moved quickly behind the boy, raised the sword high, and struck him in the neck.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC described the brutal moment: “Daniel instantly fell to the ground. He was slain by the defendant.”
The teenager’s injuries were so severe, the attack was described as a “near-decapitation.”
Mobile phone footage captured the sheer horror of the scene.
A nearby woman can be heard crying out: “He just killed that boy, right outside my house.”
The Rampage Continues
Monzo didn’t stop there. As he fled, he was chased by a female officer, PC Yasim Mechem-Whitfield, who tried to bring him down.
He responded with a violent assault, striking her three times with the blade.
He then broke into a house and attacked a couple in their bedroom—another brutal encounter that only stopped when the couple’s four-year-old daughter began crying.
Her presence startled Monzo enough to break off the assault.
The ordeal only ended when police surrounded Monzo in a nearby garage and used a taser to bring him down.
Court Hears of His Delusions and Drug Use
Monzo’s defense argued that he had an underlying mental condition made worse by cannabis use.
They claimed he wasn’t in control of his actions.
But forensic psychiatrist Professor Nigel Blackwood dismissed that defense, saying Monzo was aware of the dangers of his drug use and could have chosen to stop.
When police searched Monzo’s van, they found not only another sword but also a second knife—used to skin his cat the night before the attack.
Monzo told officers that his “personality had switched” and described the events as if they were part of a video game or film.
Jury Delivers Verdict
After hearing all the evidence, the jury at the Old Bailey found Monzo guilty of murder, attempted murder, aggravated burglary, and wounding with intent.
They rejected the claim that his mental state excused his actions, agreeing with the prosecution that his voluntary drug use was the trigger for the violence.
Kirsty O’Connor of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The jury have accepted that Monzo was fully responsible for the devastation he caused.
Our thoughts remain with Daniel’s family and with all the victims still recovering from this horrific day.”
Tribute to Victims and First Responders
Daniel Anjorin’s family, friends, and community are still reeling from his loss.
What was supposed to be an ordinary school day ended in unthinkable tragedy.
PC Mechem-Whitfield and other officers who intervened that day were hailed as heroes, having risked their own lives to stop further bloodshed.
As O’Connor added: “The courage shown by PC Mechem-Whitfield, PC King, Inspector Campbell, and others undoubtedly prevented more deaths.
We all owe them a debt of gratitude.”