A father of eight from San Diego has been hailed a hero after tackling a knife-wielding assailant in a shopping centre attack that left three dead. Sources confirm the man, identified as Carlos Mendez, 44, intervened when the attacker began stabbing shoppers at random. Mendez sustained serious injuries but is credited with saving countless lives.
Meanwhile, the UK government has condemned a surge in global extremism, with the Foreign Office warning of 'coordinated efforts to destabilise Western democracies.' Uncovered documents reveal intelligence agencies had flagged the assailant, a 29-year-old local with a history of online radicalisation, months before the attack. Questions are now being asked about why no action was taken.
The incident comes as the UK faces its own rise in far-right activity, with Home Office figures showing a 40% increase in extremist-related arrests in the past year. A Downing Street spokesperson said the government is 'committed to tackling extremism in all its forms' but critics argue that cuts to counter-terrorism funding have left communities vulnerable. Mendez remains in hospital in a stable condition.
His family told reporters he acted without thinking. 'He's a hero,' his wife said. 'But he shouldn't have had to be.
