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Centre staff need support after stabbing, says MP

Danny Fullbrookand
Justin Dealey,Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
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Emily Darlington, Labour MP for Milton Keynes Central, said the incident was "absolutely tragic"

The closure of a shopping centre will allow time for its grieving staff to be supported after a security guard was stabbed to death, an MP has said.

Police were called to Centre:MK in Milton Keynes at about 17:10 GMT on Saturday.

Security guard Gary Stanley, 52, died at the scene, and Rory Wilson, 50, from Towcester in Northamptonshire, is due to appear in the magistrates' court charged with murder.

Milton Keynes Central MP Emily Darlington said: "I know that the shopping centre management need to deal with not just the incident itself, but actually how it's going to impact all the employees."

The Labour politician continued: "They have a management plan to get the shopping centre fully open as soon as possible, but [are] also dealing with the grief that people that work at the city centre will have."

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Gary Stanley died at the scene despite life-saving efforts, police have said

On Sunday, Centre:MK posted a statement online which said it would remain shut while detectives investigated.

Thames Valley Police said there was "no known threat to the wider public".

Darlington said police and Milton Keynes City Council had been working closely to try reducing incidents of knife crime in the area in recent years.

"This is really something that is quite different and unique and absolutely tragic, but it is not related to any of the kind of knife crime we were seeing before, is my understanding," she said.

"My heart goes out to Gary Stanley's family and friends, who must be absolutely reeling today.

"I can't even imagine how upset they are."

News imageRichard Knights/BBC A marked yellow and blue police car is parked outside Centre:MK - which is a glass building with a yellow McDonald's sign outside. It is daytime and it is cloudy above.Richard Knights/BBC
Centre:MK is expected to remain closed on Monday

Police said Wilson, of St Lawrence Road South in Towcester, was previously known as Rikki Alexander Stewart.

He is due to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court later charged with murder and possessing a knife in a public place.

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