Police have pledged to step up patrols after a suspected double-stabbing near the town centre in Ipswich on Sunday night.
Two men, aged 26 and 30, were taken to hospital with “serious chest and abdomen injuries” after the incident in the area of Foundation Street, police and ambulance officials confirmed.
Police were called by the ambulance service to Foundation Street at 10pm after reports of two “seriously injured” men following an alleged “serious assault”.
The men were taken to hospital. This morning, the 26-year-old was in a stable but critical condition and the 30-year-old was in a stable condition, police said.
Officers who investigated the incident on Sunday night arrested two people at a property in the area of Foundation Street at 12.35am, Suffolk Constabulary said.
The pair, aged 48 and 57 and both from Ipswich, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH) and are in police custody. They are set to be questioned by detectives.
The exact location of the incident has not been disclosed.
A police cordon was put in place in Foundation Street between Wingfield Street and Smart Street, partially blocking access to the 513-space NCP Blackfriars car park. The car park was open as normal. Motorists were able to gain access from the Tacket Street/Orwell Place junction and were told to drive through the exit.
An NCP spokesman confirmed police are not carrying out any investigation work inside the car park.
Several police cordons were also put in place around the nearby Blackfriars Court, which is home to a number of elderly people and people living with physical disabilities.
At least five police vehicles and two forensic vans were in the area on Monday morning. A forensic officer was seen heading into the area of Blackfriars Court. A number of officers were patrolling the area.
Rosemary Lane was also closed by police.
A Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said: “There will be an additional police presence in the area, and officers are exploring the motives for the incident.”
The police cordons were set to remain in place for most of Monday morning.
A police cordon close to the Lower Brook Street and Star Lane end of Foundation Street was moved up to just past the Smart Street junction during the morning, to allow motorists to gain access to Ipswich Borough Council’s Smart Street car park, which has 21 spaces.
One person who parked there complained that there were no signs informing motorists that the NCP Blackfriars was not open from the Star Lane entrance. A manned sign was in place at the other end of the road beyond the police cordon.
An East of England Ambulance Service Trust spokesman said: “We were called at 9.56pm (on Sunday) to Foundation Street, Ipswich.
“Three ambulance crews and a rapid response vehicle attended. They treated two men who had serious chest and abdomen injuries. Both were taken to hospital in life-threatening conditions.”
Witnesses or anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call police on 101.
See here for an updated about a third arrest in connection with this incident, and here for a further updated about two more arrests.
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