Teenager admits killing American tourist in Russell Square stabbings

A 19-year-old has pleaded guilty to killing an American tourist and wounding five other people in a knife attack.

Zakaria Bulhan, from Tooting, London, admitted to carrying out the attack in Russell Square in August last year. Bulhan pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and charges of wounding; he had been charged with murder and attempted murder. Darlene Horton, 64, had been visiting London from the US when she was attacked and killed by Bulhan. She was due to return home the day after the attack. Five other people were stabbed by Bulhan during the attack, but all made good recoveries from their injuries.   Photo: Metropolitan Police   Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said: “As he passed members of the public he veered across the pavement towards them.” “Without warning or provocation, the man stabbed six people in quick succession, saying nothing to any of them, moving on after each stabbing towards his next victim.” The court heard that Bulhan had been suffering from an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia when he attacked members of the public at random, and that he had dropped out of college months before the attack due to his mental state. He had been referred for mental health treatment in March last year.