UPDATED 8PM: People were left running away in fear when a man pulled a knife on another man in a Swindon shopping centre car park this afternoon.
Police received a number of 999 calls to the altercation as it unfolded in front of dozens of customers as they parked or returned to their vehicles at the Swindon Designer Outlet before 1pm.
It’s understood a black man, believed to be in his 20s-30s, wearing a black puffa jacket with his hood up and a blue face mask attempted to attack a white man near his car.
The man was seen chasing his victim around the car park off Kemble Drive, jumping over fences and weiving in and out of both adults and children near the ticket machine.
One eyewitness who called the police, but does not wish to be named in our story, told Wiltshire 999s she was about ten foot away from the disorder and could see the suspect regularly lifting his top to show his victim he was carrying a knife holstered in his trousers.
Moments later, it’s said he pulled a knife with a blade of around six inches from a sheath hidden in his waistband and continued to chase the man. Members of the public were seen jumping fences to flee the area to avoid being caught up in the dramatic fight which broke out in front of them.
Our eyewitness believes that the men were known to each other, and this was a targeted attack rather than a man randomly attempting to stab unsuspecting shoppers.
Several minutes later, a large number of police officers flooded the area but those involved had already fled the scene. No one was injured but a car parked in the car park had its tyres damaged.
Inspector David Tippetts said: “The group had dispersed by the time our officers had arrived and despite an extensive search of the area we couldn’t find either men.
“We believe both men involved in the chase were known to each other and we would like to identify who they were.
“We’d like to speak to anyone who may have heard or seen anything suspicious in what would have been a busy part of town yesterday. If that was you please come forward.”
McArthurGlen was approached for a statement at 2pm but did not respond.
Anyone with information relating to this incident should contact Wiltshire Police by calling 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
