Four men aged 34, 39, 42, and between 52 and 56 were stabbed on August 5, 2026, on Endell Street near Covent Garden, London, around 12:25pm local time [1, 2, 3]. They were treated at the scene by ambulance crews and transported by road to a major trauma centre. The London air ambulance landed nearby at Trafalgar Square but victims were not airlifted [4, 5, 6].
The victims’ injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing. All four have since been discharged from hospital [7, 8]. Police initially reported three victims but later confirmed four [2].
A 47-year-old woman, Stella Gollovena, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. She was later charged with four counts of wounding with intent and one count of possession of a weapon. Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram said Gollovena confirmed her identity but did not enter any pleas to the charges [4, 7, 8].
The weapon used in the attack was believed to be a pair of scissors or shears seized by police at the scene [1, 5, 9]. According to some witnesses, police used tasers during the arrest, but this has not been officially confirmed [7, 8].
Police and witnesses described the incident as random and related to mental health. A Metropolitan Police statement said, "While at an early stage of the investigation, this is believed to be a mental health related incident." A witness noted, "I see her all the time, she’s a homeless person. She walks up and down asking for help, she visits the church at the top of the street" [1, 5, 9, 2].
The suspect was known locally as a homeless person who frequented the Covent Garden area and had previous incidents reported [2, 7].
The woman is due to appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court. A next hearing is scheduled at Snaresbrook Crown Court on September 3, 2026 [7, 8].
