Man, 49, charged with murdering woman and trying to kill five others including child after 'hit and run attacks' in Rochdale
A man has been charged with one count of murder and five of attempted murder after a horror incident in which a driver allegedly 'deliberately' mounted pavements and struck pedestrians.
Keith Micheal Knight, 49, of no fixed abode, was arrested after a black BMW struck people at two locations in Rochdale, Greater Manchester on Saturday afternoon.
A 68-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries but tragically died of her injuries on Sunday.
Officers say the attack was not terror related.
Emergency services were first called to Woodgate Avenue at around 2:30pm after three people – including a 22-month-old girl in a pram – were hit by a car.
The man behind the wheel did not stop and continued driving, police said.
A couple yesterday told how they came to the aid of the woman who was injured in the first collision, after hearing her screams as she was struck by the BMW.
'It happened right outside our house,' the man said.
The tragedy unfolded Saturday afternoon, when Greater Manchester Police responded to two separate collisions involving the same vehicle in Rochdale
Emergency services were first called to Woodgate Avenue, where three people – one of them a child – were struck by a car. All three were taken to hospital with minor injuries and have since been discharged
'She was really scared and in shock.'
He described how the BMW was then driven off along Bury Road before it struck a woman and a baby in a pram.
'I saw the pram get thrown into the air,' he said.
'The woman then came running down the road with her baby in her arms.'
Tragically the BMW is alleged to have hit the 68-year-old pedestrian in Whitworth Road shortly afterwards, causing fatal injuries.
The mother involved in the first collision later took to Facebook to thank those who came to her aid.
Elsie Blundell, MP for Heywood & Middleton North, shared an update after speaking to police
She wrote: 'To those who helped me in the hit and run today — I am eternally grateful. I'm still in shock. My daughter is extremely lucky.
'She's had brain scans and thankfully, she's ok. Been very sick all day from concussion but getting there.
'Very battered and bruised. I can't fathom why someone would do something like this.
'She's been one brave girl. If she hadn't had been strapped in her pram it would have been a lot worse.
'Thank you again to all who helped.'
Yesterday Elsie Blundell, MP for Heywood & Middleton North, shared an update after speaking with a senior police officer.
She posted on social media: 'On Saturday, a white male in a black BMW mounted the pavement at Woodgate Avenue and collided at two separate points along the road with a female pedestrian and a 22-month-old baby in a pram.
'The driver did not remain at the scene and continued to drive down to Whitworth Road – where he again mounted the pavement and collided with an adult female and then continued to drive, stopping at the nearby lights.
'The male was then detained, and the police arrested him for attempted murder and a section 18 assault.
'The adult female and 22-month-old sustained minor injuries and were kept in hospital overnight for treatment and observations.
'The adult female from Whitworth Road has tragically died in hospital.'
She added: 'It is not terrorism related.'
Today Greater Manchester Police said Knight had been charged with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
He is due to appear in court today.
In a statement, the force said: 'The charges relate to three road traffic collisions on Saturday 3 May 2025: on Bury Road at the junction of Woodgate Avenue, Bury Road at the junction of Broadhalgh Road, and Whitworth Road near to the junction of St Marys Gate, Rochdale.
'A woman sadly died in hospital on Sunday 4 May from injuries sustained in one of the collisions.'
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward.
