Belfast stabbings: PSNI release different timeline of attacks as sixth victim confirmed

Officers also issued an image of a man they are seeking as detectives combed through of the city centre and the university district to the south.

The attacks happened within a roughly 80 minute window on Monday night and the assailant is thought to have used some kind of small knife, the PSNI has said.
Whilst four of the women are still in hospital, none of their injuries (described as “punctures” by police) are believed to have been life-threatening.

All six women are aged between 19 and 22.

The police had previously believed the attacks began at around 8.45pm.

But it has now issued the following sequence of events, pinpointing the very minute when they took place:

7.42pm: The first stabbing incident occurred in Castle Place in which a female pedestrian was wounded

7.51pm: The second stabbing occurred on Ormeau Avenue between the Linenhall Street and Adelaide Steet junctions

8.56pm: The third stabbing occurred at Donegall Square West

8.56pm to 9.01pm: The fourth incident on the Dublin Road saw a female punched in the back of her head

9.01pm: The fifth incident involved another female being stabbed as she walked along the University Road, near Mount Charles

9.03pm: In the sixth incident a female was punched in the neck on the Lisburn Road near Dunluce Avenue

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Chief Superintendent Simon Walls said: “We believe that each of these attacks were carried out by a male on a bicycle

“While their injuries were minor and not life threatening, these are very serious incidents. These were frightening random attacks for these young women but thankfully incidents like this are extremely rare.”

He added that extra patrols are taking place in the centre and south of the city.

Anyone with dash-cam or CCTV footage is asked to hand it in to police.

The suspect was wearing dark clothing, possibly a hooded top, and may have been wearing a black mask and backpack.

He was cycling a mountain bike which may have a lightcoloured frame and reflectors on the spokes.

Police indicated that a rumour that the man was wearing a “bunny mask” (mentioned by a number of people on Twitter) did not tally with what they knew.