Ten years after Lee Rigby's murder in Woolwich shook the world

On May 22, 2013, the 25-year-old father was outside his barracks when at around 2pm he was hit by a car driven by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale. 

The men then leapt out and launched a savage attack on defenseless Lee with knives and a meat cleaver. 

Brave passer-by Ingrid Loyau-Kennett tried to shield him from further harm. 

Ingrid, later nicknamed ‘The Angel of Woolwich, said that seeing those horrors ruined her life. Another passer-by was forced to film as Adebolajo tried to give an explanation for the brutal murder while brandishing a meat cleaver. 

When armed police arrived the two extremists charged at them and were shot. 

In December 2013 Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were found guilty of murder and given life sentences and a minimum of 45 years respectively. 

On this day in 2013, News Shopper originally heard reports of a stabbing. It was only as the day progressed that we understood the full horror of the situation. 

Lee Rigby's killers were sentenced to life imprisonment (Image: Metropolitan Police)

3pm 

It was just before 3pm when reports about a shooting in Woolwich came in. 

A reporter was sent to the scene as it appeared something big may have happened - but the true horror of what was actually going on only began to emerge shortly afterwards. 

3.30pm 

It was just after 3.30pm when a Met Police spokesman said officers were called to an “assault” on the street in Woolwich. 

Disturbing rumours began circulating online, and things took a darker turn when News Shopper spoke to a witness. 

The man said: “I heard they were trying to behead someone and were shot by police.” 

4pm 

After 4pm a graphic tweet from a witness said they had seen a man “with his head chopped off right in front of my eyes”. 

Soon photos flooded social media of two bloodied men armed with knives and a cleaver. 

4.30pm 

At 4.36pm news about what happened became clearer after the London Ambulance Service confirmed one man was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The spokeswoman added that two other men, who we later learned were responsible for the murder, were taken to hospital. 

5pm 

It was after 5pm when we discovered more about the murdered victim. 

Woolwich and Greenwich MP Nick Raynsford said he understood the victim was a serving soldier (later identified as Fusilier Lee Rigby) and the two men taken to hospital were the suspected killers. 

The manager of Mann Food and Wine shop in Frances Street then said a car was used to run down the victim before “they got out and butchered him”. 

The brutal attack took place 200 yards from the Royal Artillery Barracks, and at 5.45pm News Shopper reported the incident was being treated as a terrorist attack. 

7pm 

At 7pm a video emerged of a man with bloodied hands who said: “I apologise that women had to witness this today but in our land our women have to see the same. 

“You people will never be safe. Remove your governments, they don’t care about you.” 

Later it was confirmed the killers were wounded by police gunshots before they were treated in hospital. 

It is now ten years since the murder of 25-year-old Lee, who was off-duty when he was attacked. 

You can read our blog from that awful day here.