Jersey knife victims ‘perfect family’

The 30-year-old man, named locally as Damian Rzeszowski, is under police guard at Jersey General Hospital as police wait to question him over the deaths of his family.

He is believed to have been suicidal over the breakdown of his marriage before allegedly stabbing six people: his two young children, his wife, named locally as Izabela, her father Marek and her friend Marta de la Haye and Ms de la Haye’s daughter Julia.

Mr Rzeszowski’s children have been named locally as a son named Kasper and a daughter called Kinga. It is thought that he turned the knife on himself after attacking his family and friends.

Police believe he may not be well enough to be spoken to for some time.

Watch: an eyewitness account of the Jersey stabbings

‘Tragedy’

Friends attending a mass for the victims at a Catholic church in the village of St Martin, near Jersey’s capital St Helier, said the attack was a “tragedy” that was difficult to understand.

Marlena Bartus, 27, described them as “almost the perfect family”.

She said she had not seen them since September, but remembered them as happy.

They were a lovely family, lovely kids. They were almost the perfect family. Friend Marlena Bartus

“They were a lovely family, lovely kids. They were almost the perfect family. The children loved playing with their Mega Bloks and he used to push them in a trailer. The way we had seen him, he was a really good father,” she said.

“We spent two hours with them, it was a lovely atmosphere.”

Her husband Jakub Bartus, 35, added: “It is so sad, this is something that should not happen. There are lots of questions that need to be answered. It’s such a tragedy. I can’t understand why the kids were involved. This is not about them, they are innocent.”

Mike Bowron, chief officer for Jersey Police, called for local communities to remain “dignified and calm”. He said all the victims, who have not been officially named, were from Poland and four were from the same family.

Jersey’s Chief Minister, Senator Terry Le Sueur, added: “This has greatly shocked the island’s community. Many will need support and counselling in the days ahead and we will ensure this is provided.”