Police have shot a man dead and a number of people have been stabbed near
London Bridge in what
Scotland Yard has declared a “terror incident”.
A device strapped to the suspect was a hoax, the head of
UK counter-terrorism policing said.
Met
police earlier said that a man had been detained. It was not immediately clear whether this was the same person who had been shot.
A spokesperson said: “At this stage, the circumstances relating to the incident at London Bridge remain unclear.
“However, as a precaution, we are currently responding to this incident as though it is terror-related. One man has been shot by police. We will provide further information when possible.”
They later added that “a number of people have been stabbed”. At this stage, the circumstances relating to the incident at #LondonBridge remain unclear. However, as a precaution, we are currently responding to this incident as though it is terror-related.One man has been shot by police. We will provide further information when possible.— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) November 29, 2019The bridge was evacuated and shut both ways, while Borough Market on the south of the river has been cleared and a cordon set up.
Both the Met Police and London Ambulance Service are believed to have declared a major incident, with a number of crews on the scene.
London Bridge station has also been evacuated. Reports that nearby Bank and Monument Tube stations have also been closed could not be confirmed by
British Transport Police.Scores of people were seen running down St Thomas’ Street as the incident unfolded.
A video from the scene shows what appears to be police pulling equipment out of a vehicle nearby.
Those in the video can be heard saying: “They’ve actually got guns out. They’ve got the guns out.”
HuffPost UK saw police escorting people in Fishmongers Company uniforms out of a building, one “covered in” what was believed to be in someone else’s blood.
A staff member from the company told us he had seen an attacker with a “big knife” and that someone inside the building had been injured.
Unverified footage – apparently taken just outside the building – shows officers grappling with someone, and a man in a suit emerging moments later holding what appears to be a blade.
It is not yet clear where the incident started. An area stretching from London Bridge to Cannon Street is now cordoned off.
BBC footage from the scene shows officers and sniffer dogs investigating a large white lorry parked across three lanes of the road. BBC correspondent John McManus told
BBC News that he had heard several gunshots on London Bridge.
“There appeared to be a fight going on on the other side of the bridge, with several men attacking one man,” he said.
“Police then quickly arrived, including armed police, and then a number of shots were fired at this man.”
The bridge has been cleared by police, “but there are more shots going on”, McManus added.
Staff working for News UK, whose offices are by London Bridge station, reported being held in their building as police dealt with the incident."I’m being kept updated on the incident at London Bridge and want to thank the police and all emergency services for their immediate response." — Prime Minister Boris Johnson— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 29, 2019In a tweet, prime minister
Boris Johnson said he was being kept updated on the incident.
He is returning to Downing Street from his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency “where he will receive further updates”, the PM’s official spokesperson said.
Labour leader
Jeremy Corbyn said: “Shocking reports from London Bridge. My thoughts are with those caught up in the incident. Thank you to the police and emergency services who are responding.”
Meanwhile, London mayor
Sadiq Khan said: “Thank you to our brave emergency services who responded to today’s horrific attack. Every day they put their lives on the line for us – running towards danger in order to keep London safe.” My statement on the incident at London Bridge. pic.twitter.com/UDL77f4uMK— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) November 29, 2019Neil Basu, the head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said: “At approximately 2pm today, police were called to a stabbing at a premises near London Bridge.
“Emergency services attended including officers from the City of London Police and Metropolitan Police.
“A male suspect was shot by specialist armed officers from City of London police and I can confirm that this suspect died at the scene.”