Wales stabbing: Elderly man killed and three injured after knife attack in village shop

'You can’t get more normal and ordinary than the Coop in Penygraig - so this feels horrific and extraordinary', MP says

An elderly man has died and three people have been injured following a stabbing at a shop in a small south welsh village.

South Wales Police said officers were in Pen Y Graig “following reports of a serious incident at the location” before cordoning off an area of the high street around a Co-op supermarket store where four people were harmed at around 1.45pm.

One, an elderly man, was pronounced dead while another man is in a stable condition at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Two others have suffered non life-threatening injuries, police confirmed.

A 29-year-old woman from Porth was later arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Merthyr Tydfil police station.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark O'Shea, of South Wales Police's major crime investigations team, said: "This is a very tragic incident and one man has died and his family is being supported by specially trained police officers.

"Our thoughts and condolences remain with the victim's family at this very sad time. This incident will have understandably caused a lot of shock in the local community and I want to reassure residents that a full investigation has been launched".

"However, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident."

Leanne Wood, Assembly Member for Rhondda and former leader of Plaid Cymru, said in a video she was shocked by the incident - which took place in her local shop.

“Most of the people in our small, close-knit community of Pen Y Graig will be left feeling shocked after the news tonight of a serious incident, a violent incident in our local Co-op,” she said.

“This is the shop that is my local grocery shop, it’s the shop that my family use to do most of our shopping in.

“I know the staff there, I know most of the regular shoppers there and it’s a high street that is different to no other in Wales.

“It’s really shocking news. My heartfelt sympathy goes to all of those who are affected, all of those who have been harmed by the incident and their extended families.

“My thoughts are with the staff in the Co-op as well who must have been traumatised by the events there this afternoon.”

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed four people were taken to Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales and the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.

South Wales Police has also referred the incident to the police watchdog, the Independent Office of Police Conduct.

Labour MP Christ Bryant, who represents the region, wrote on Twitter: "Events in the Rhondda this afternoon have shocked everyone locally.

"You can’t get more normal and ordinary than the Coop in Penygraig. So this feels horrific and extraordinary.

"My heart goes out to those who’ve been directly affected and my thanks goes to the police and NHS".