At least two people have been stabbed in Reading town centre in what is suspected to be a terror-related attack, with a man arrested at the scene.
They were taken to A&E at the Royal Berkshire Hospital after the stabbing in Forbury Gardens, a hospital spokesperson told the PA news agency.
A source told PA three people had been killed in the attack, but this has not been confirmed by
police or emergency services.
Graphic footage shared on
Social Media showed a bloodied scene as a person gave chest compressions to a victim on the ground. Thames Valley Police and the National Police Chiefs Council have urged people not to speculate on the incident or share pictures of video alleged to show the attack or aftermath.
The force said in a statement: “A number of people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.
“A police cordon is in place in Forbury Gardens as officers investigate. We are asking the public to avoid the area at this time.”
Two air ambulances and several police vehicles responded to the attack, with images on social media showing a significant police presence.
Home secretary Priti Patel tweeted that she was “deeply concerned” by reports of the incident.
“My thoughts are with everyone involved, including police and emergency responders at the scene,” she added.
One eyewitness, who said he was about 10 metres from the scene, said the attack looked “completely random”.
Lawrence Wort, 20, a personal trainer from Chippenham, told PA: “So the park was pretty full, a lot of people sat around drinking with
Friends when one lone person walked through, suddenly shouted some unintelligible words and went around a large group of around 10, trying to stab them.
“He stabbed three of them, severely in the neck, and under the arms, and then turned and started running towards me, and we turned and started running.
“When he realised that he couldn’t catch us, he tried to stab another group sat down, he got one person in the back of the neck and then when he realised everyone was starting to run, he ran out the park.”
The leader of Reading Council Jason Brock tweeted: “Concerning reports from Reading town centre – please stay clear of the area as Police are dealing with a serious incident.”
Freelance journalist Claire Gould, 33, who lives near the scene, told PA she saw the emergency air ambulance vehicles land on the nearby Kings Meadow on Saturday evening as a police helicopter circled overhead.
She described hearing lots of sirens and said surrounding roads and a retail park had been cordoned off by officers.Thames Valley Police said: “There is no indication that this incident is linked to the Black Lives Matter protest that took place in Reading today.”
One BLM organiser posted on
Facebook that everyone who had been at the protest was safe, having left before the attack took place, according to Sky News.