The Metropolitan Police said three men had been arrested on suspicion of stabbing a 32-year-old woman who had attended Notting Hill Carnival with her young child.
A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and mayhem, while two other men, aged 22 and 24, have also been arrested on suspicion of mayhem. All three were detained at separate addresses in Hammersmith and Fulham on Tuesday morning and remain in custody.
The woman, who was stabbed shortly before 6pm on Sunday, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
The Metropolitan police said: “Investigations are ongoing but initial inquiries indicate the woman was involved in an altercation between two groups of men. It is not yet clear whether the groups were people she knew.”
Commander Charmaine Bregna, the Metropolitan police's Notting Hill Carnival spokesman, said: “Our first thoughts are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and her family. She came to the carnival with her young children to have fun and was caught up in the most horrific violence.”
“This arrest marks an important step in our investigation and is the result of the determined efforts of our detectives who have worked day and night to identify, locate and apprehend the suspect.”
“No one should underestimate how difficult it will be if the crucial early stages of an investigation take place in the middle of a crowded event such as Carnival.
“I would also like to thank our officers for the fantastic work they did, including police medics who arrived at the scene quickly, providing emergency medical care and securing the scene to preserve vital evidence. Investigations into other incidents that occurred over the weekend are continuing.”
