Thirty-nine people arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after man knifed in the chest in London

39 people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was stabbed in the chest in west London.

The victim, who is in his 30s, was left fighting for his life after the incident on the Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, in the early hours of Monday morning.

A horrified eyewitness said the man was stabbed ‘right next to his heart’ by a gang of youths shouting ‘get him’.

The witness said: “I heard a lot of commotion, like kids entertaining themselves in the street.

“I had a feeling something wasn’t right, and then the kids kept running backwards and forwards screaming ‘Get him! Get him!’

“Then I saw a knife there – it was shining – and somebody was going to get hurt.

“The person that did the stabbing – I heard him say ‘Come on then!’”

The Metropolitan Police said arrests were made at a property near the scene and the people were taken into custody at several police stations.

So many people had been arrested because of a lack of cooperation on the part of potential suspects, police confirmed.

The man was stabbed after being ‘chased by a number of male and female suspects following an altercation in a shop’.

After the stabbing, the suspects went to a house party, said police.

“What appears to have been a minor argument has resulted in a man sustaining life-threatening injuries,” said Superintendent Mark Lawrence.

“Officers were quickly on the scene and provided him with first aid prior to the arrival of our colleagues in the LAS. He has been taken to hospital where he continues to receive treatment for his injuries.

“Whilst it is unusual for so many people to be arrested in the early stages of an investigation such as this, due to a lack of co-operation and the necessity of securing essential evidence following a serious assault, this action was appropriate.”

Photos subsequently posted on social media showed police cars blocking off the road while forensics officers combed the scene for evidence.

Others asked for details about what had happened in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

The Fulham Palace Road remained partially closed in the early hours of Monday morning.

Police said two knives were recovered close to the scene.

The attack comes after figures earlier this year revealed that knife crime had risen to a record high in the capital during 2018.

Nearly 15,000 knife offences were carried out in the 12 months up until October, a 15 per cent rise on the previous year.

Among the crimes were 91 killings as well as more than 8,300 robberies at knife-point.

An average of 40 knife crimes a day are being carried out in London.