An intense search is underway to track down a suspect who was seen wielding two machetes outside a secondary school.
The individual, dressed in all black and wearing a balaclava, was spotted near Holgate Academy in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.
Authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help identify the suspect.
Details of the Incident
The man, reportedly a teenager, was seen carrying two large black knives near Nabbs Lane around 3:20 p.m. on Friday, November 22.
Witnesses say the knifeman was dressed in black workman’s trousers, a black hat, and a scarf covering his face.
A video circulating on social media shows him engaging with two men who seemed to attempt to stop him.
As the suspect walked away, one of the men was heard saying, “look at you.”
The woman filming the incident then shouted an expletive, prompting the man with the machetes to turn around and hurl insults at her.
Police Response and Community Reassurance
Nottinghamshire Police have launched a full investigation to locate the suspect, emphasizing that they are taking the matter very seriously.
Although the incident occurred outside of school hours and is not believed to be directly related to the academy, the police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the event or captured it on CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage to come forward.
Chief Inspector Chris Sutcliffe reassured the community by confirming that additional police presence has been deployed in the area, and authorities are working closely with a nearby school to provide reassurance to local residents.
Rising Concerns Over Youth Violence
This incident comes amid rising concerns about youth violence in the area.
Just two weeks prior, an 18-year-old was arrested after a parcel containing a dangerous curved karambit knife was seized at the border.
This follows a joint report by schools, police, and probation inspectors, which highlighted the growing prevalence of serious youth violence in the region.
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a troubling increase in knife crime, with armed robberies involving knives seeing a notable rise over the past year.
While the overall number of knife crime offenses remains below pre-pandemic levels, it still marked a four percent increase in the last year.
Alarmingly, teenagers in the UK are now twice as likely to be fatally stabbed as they were a decade ago.
Call for Information
As the search for the machete-wielding suspect continues, Nottinghamshire Police are appealing to the public for any information that could aid in identifying the individual.
Anyone who has seen anything or has footage of the incident is encouraged to contact the police on 101, quoting incident 454 of November 22, or anonymously via Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.
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