London teen admits killing retired Fla. teacher
LONDON — A teenager pleaded guilty Monday to stabbing a retired teacher from Florida to death in a rampage on a street here that injured five other people.
Zakaria Bulhan, 19, from southwest London, admitted the manslaughter of Darlene Horton, 64, on the grounds of diminished responsibility and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at the Old Bailey court in central London.
Bulhan went on the stabbing spree in Russell Square — an area popular with tourists near the British Museum — on Aug. 3. The incident, which was initially feared to be terrorism, sparked a major police operation.
The court was told Bulhan, who was born in Norway to Somali parents, was suffering an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time, the BBC reported.
Horton was the wife of Florida State University psychology professor Richard Wagner, who was teaching in the summer study abroad program. She died the day the program ended and she and her husband were due to return home to Tallahassee the following day.
The court was told the five other people who were wounded in the attack have made good recoveries, the BBC reported. Their nationalities are British, American, Australian and Israeli.
Detective Inspector Tony Lynes, of Scotland Yard, said: "Bulhan's actions caused an enormous amount of fear and distress with initial concerns this incident may be linked to terrorism.
"This was quickly found not to be the case and we now know Bulhan was suffering a severe episode of mental health. He clearly poses an enormous risk to the general public and I hope he can now get the help he needs.”
Bulhan will be sentenced on Tuesday, Scotland Yard said.