As a soldier remains in a serious condition after being stabbed near a Kent army barracks, a community in Gillingham reels following a rare case of severe violence in a usually quiet community
A quiet and “safe” community with a “massive veteran community” is reeling after the stabbing of a soldier near an army barracks.
The victim, in his 40s, is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after he was stabbed multiple times while wearing a camouflage uniform, Kent Police said. A 24-year-old has been arrested and remains in custody following the attack near Sally Port Gardens, Gillingham - where residents have expressed their shock at the awful events.
Alex Reynolds has been living in the area for three years, and could scarcely believe what had happened right “on our doorstep”. He said: “We hear about Medway not being a nice area but this is one of the nicest areas in the Medway area - so you think nothing like this would happen.”
"My son is at nursery. The military gives a community-type atmosphere here, so without them, people wouldn’t be as friendly to each other. Last night was very unexpected for that to happen. If it’s isolated, then yes I still feel safe to be here.
“I have limited communication with them (military), we’re not a military family, but when I walk my son to the nursery back and forth the military always says ‘hello’, there’s a security patrol van that patrols the area and roams around, I think it gives a sense of safety to the area."
Officers cordoned Sally Port while enquiries continued, Kent Live reported. A heavy police presence remained at the scene on Wednesday afternoon (July 24). At least a dozen forensic officers were seen entering the sealed off street with tools and dogs searching the area including the park and one of the properties. Phil Carter, 58, who is moving to a property on Conway Mews, a few metres away from where the incident happened, knows the area well, and said it is usually quiet.
He said: “It’s very quiet around here. Me and my partner are going to be moving in, in the next couple of weeks. It was my late mum’s dad’s house, so I do know this house. That really shocked me what happened, it doesn’t normally happen around here.
"I’m surprised, well nothing surprises me anymore. My partner told me about what happened and I couldn’t believe it. If it was in the high street or in Chatham I’d still be shocked but I wouldn’t be as surprised.
"It’s a lovely, nice area, and the neighbours are really nice. It’s off the main road, I’ve never heard any shouting or anything. There’s a pub just around the corner, it gets a bit noisy but no trouble. It’s just unfortunate. I just hope the guy who was stabbed is okay."
Another resident who has been living on the same street as Phil for more than two decades and wished to remain anonymous, said: "I feel safe here. I know it sounds awful. I've become quite insensitive to it, because there were two in London yesterday. It's very sad, and I feel dreadful for the family."
The suspect is reported to have left the scene on a motorcycle and at approximately 6.30pm was located and arrested in Mooring Road, Rochester. Kent Police do not believe it is a terror-related incident.
Describing his feelings after hearing of the attack, Christopher Spalding, an independent councillor for the All Saints ward of Medway Council, told KentLive: “I was numb when I found out, when a neighbour of mine told me there were a lot of emergency services present I actually thought it’s just been a traffic accident, nothing as bad as this. My thoughts are to the victim and his family and the close military family around here as well.
“Medway is a really safe place to live. We would expect the local police that are based out at the police station just down the road to have some extra patrols and keep an eye, the same way the military has its own security people - I’m not suggesting anyone’s driving around in an army car and guns. Certainly there will be a big presence and we would expect that.
“It’s a very close community. Medway is a great place to live and work. A lot of people who are military actually find that they come back here and settle here. There’s a massive veteran community as well, not just here in Gillingham. It is very much a military heritage town."
The road where police said the incident occurred is near Brompton Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army’s 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment. An Army spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry to confirm that a soldier has sustained serious injuries in an attack in Chatham, Kent. Our thoughts are with the soldier and their family and we request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.
In a statement, Acting Chief Superintendent Richard Woolley of Kent Police has confirmed that investigations into the motivation of the attack are ongoing and that the force is exploring the possibility that they may be mental health related. He said: "This was an upsetting incident for all concerned and our best wishes go to the victim, his family and those who witnessed the incident.
"Residents will experience an increased police presence in the Gillingham area and I would like to reassure everyone that officers responded quickly to take a man into custody and we do not currently believe anyone else was involved.
"The motivation for the attack is currently unknown and forms part of our ongoing enquiries, although we are exploring the possibility that it may be mental health-related. We are also investigating any possible links between the location and the suspect. There is no further information at this time to suggest there are any wider threats to the local community including members of the armed forces."
