A 14-year-old boy killed in a samurai sword attack as he walked to school Tuesday in London was unaware of warnings that he was in danger because he was wearing headphones, according to a report.
A neighbor of Daniel Anjorin said the man wielding the sword had initially confronted her before turning his sights on the teenager, the Independent reported on Thursday.
"We were shouting and waving towards Daniel as he came out. He had his headphones in so he wouldn't hear us. It just happened right before our eyes, it was horrible," Auiste Dabasinskaite said.
Marcus Ardiuni Monzo, 36, has been charged with Daniel's death and appeared in court Thursday morning, the Guardian reported.
"It's horrible isn't it, poor boy, I feel really bad for his family," Dabasinskaite said. "As my next-door neighbor, we used to say hello and wave at each other in the mornings when he left for school."
She said people have been coming from all over and putting flowers near Daniel's home.
"They're really supportive, we've got a great community here, we never expected something like this to happen," she said.
Another neighbor said Daniel's family was stunned by the gruesome slaying.
"Yesterday, I spoke to the father and he was shocked," the neighbor told a British news agency, the Independent reported. "He had tears.
The woman, who saw the attack unfold from her window, said an ambulance was on the scene quickly, but the man with the sword kept them at bay.
"The ambulance was here on time, they tried to help but it was just because of him that they couldn't help," she said, adding: "He was trying to attack them with the sword."
Monzo has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article, the Guardian said.
The attack left four people injured, including two police officers.
Prosecutors said the violent rampage began when Monzo crashed a van into a fence around 7 a.m. Tuesday and hit a man.
He jumped out of the van and slashed the man in the neck. He then broke into a nearby home and terrorized a man, woman and their four-year-old daughter, cutting the father in the neck and arm.
Prosecutors said Monzo then attacked Daniel, who fell to the ground.
As police officers cared for the teen, Monzo turned on them with the sword before he was subdued.
