Crossbow attacker who left 2 women, 19 & 31, injured after stalking street with weapon dies from self-inflicted wounds

A CROSSBOW attacker who left two women injured after stalking a street has died from self-inflicted injuries.

Owen Lawrence, 38, was arrested following the incident in Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

A man can be seen prowling a street in Leeds with several weaponsYappApp

Various weapons, including a crossbow have been seized by police© YappApp

The two women, aged 19 and 31, were also treated for injuries.

Counter Terrorism Policing North East are continuing to conduct an investigation.

West Yorkshire Police declared a major incident after the attack.

Chilling footage shows the suspect appearing to wield an armoury of weapons as he strides down Otley Road shortly before 3pm.

Dressed in dark clothing, he is seen darting around to expose a large object strapped to his back.

Photos show what appear to be discarded weapons on the ground which were then seized by police.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley said: “Officers will continue to conduct enquiries and we ask that if anyone has information that may assist, to pass this to police.

“We understand there are concerns around the incident, and questions about how and why this has happened. Our teams are committed to carrying out an in-depth investigation to provide answers to those affected.

“We continue to work closely with West Yorkshire Police to support the local community and thank residents for their support and understanding over the weekend.

“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this incident.”

Leeds District Commander, Chief Superintendent Steve Dodds said: “We fully appreciate the understandable shock and concern that this incident has caused in the Headingley community, and we are continuing to work closely alongside our partner agencies to support and reassure those living, working or studying in, or visiting the area.

“We have put a comprehensive visibility and engagement plan in place in the area to provide an increased police and partnership presence that will remain over the coming days, both on the streets and around key events in the community.

“We are absolutely committed to making sure that people feel safe to go about their daily lives in the area following this incident.

“As ever, we would advise people to report any suspicious or unusual behaviour to us immediately through 101 or 999 in an emergency, or to officers on the ground, or venue or event staff.”

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Otley Road is famed for the Otley Run – one of the most famous bar crawls in the UK – and the popular Leeds pub crawl would have been packed with punters enjoying drinks on Saturday afternoon.

Local Bethany Connelly said that a man with a crossbow was seen in the area.

She said: “I was at work at a nearby restaurant and some girls were sitting outside.

“They asked if they could come in and finish what they were having because they’d seen someone with a crossbow.

“This was all before the incident, and a few minutes later, we saw ambulances and police rushing down the roads.

“The roads were getting blocked off, and we’d been told by police to keep everyone indoors and away from the area.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Saturday her thoughts were with the victims of the incident in Leeds, adding she was being updated on the situation.

In a statement, she said: “I am being kept updated on the serious violent incident in Leeds this afternoon.

“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response.

“My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”