LONDON (AP) – A 19-year-old Somali-Norwegian man accused of carrying out a stabbing rampage in London’s Russell Square was remanded into custody Saturday after a court appearance in the British capital.
Zakaria Bulhan of London is accused of slaying a retired American teacher, 64-year-old Darlene Horton, on Wednesday. Bulhan also faces five counts of attempted murder in the same attack that wounded two Australians, an Israeli, another American and a British citizen. The victims were named in court Saturday for the first time.
Bulhan, who moved from Norway to Britain as a child, mumbled his name, address and date of birth during the hearing Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court. When asked if he understood the charges, he gave a thumb’s up gesture. He will appear at the Central London Criminal Court on Aug. 9.
One of those who survived the attack was Martin Hoenisch, a 59-year-old retired firefighter from San Jose. Hoenisch told The Associated Press that he and his wife had just arrived in London and were walking back from a pub when he saw a woman in distress. His first reaction was to step in front of his wife, and he then tried to stop the attacker.
“I’m a firefighter. I’m a good guy,” he said Saturday. “Any guy would try to stop this.”