In brief
Prosecutors revealed Monzo was under the influence of drugs during the incident, leading to other assaults before his arrest.
A man who murdered a 14-year-old boy in a brutal and chaotic sword attack in northeast London was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. Marcos Arduini Monzo, 37, went on a 20-minute violent spree on April 30, 2024, attacking multiple victims and ending in the death of Daniel Anjorin, who was on his way to school.During the harrowing incident, Monzo was seen on footage yelling, “Is anybody here who believes in God?” as he wielded a large samurai sword. Daniel was struck down just steps from his family home in Hainault, while wearing his school backpack; he was discovered by his father, desperate to help.Monzo's rampage began shortly after 7 a.m. when he struck a man with his van before attacking him with the sword. Following this, he moved toward Daniel, attacking the boy from behind. The violence escalated further when, upon the arrival of an ambulance, Monzo vandalized the vehicle. He resisted police commands to drop his weapon, leading to a violent showdown with officers.The police, armed with only batons and Tasers, pursued Monzo as he attempted to flee. During the chase, he violently assaulted a female officer, inflicting serious injuries. Monzo's spree continued when he entered the home of a couple, attacking the husband while their young daughter was present—a trauma that weighed heavily in the court’s reflections.After several confrontations, Monzo was finally subdued using Tasers near a garage. Although he had expressed extremist views online, prosecutors found no evidence his actions were politically motivated; instead, they attributed his violent behavior to cannabis-induced psychosis after he had allegedly harmed his pet cat earlier in the day. Judge Joel Bennathan condemned Monzo's actions, emphasizing the profound impact on the community and stating he would serve a minimum of 40 years before becoming eligible for parole.
