At Least Five Injured in Stabbing, Shooting on London Bridge

israelnationalnews

At least five people were injured in an incident involving both a stabbing and a shooting at London Bridge on Friday afternoon, police have said.

Police said they were called to a stabbing near the bridge just before 2:00 p.m. local time. One man was shot by police, they said.

While the circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear, Metropolitan Police said they are treating it as terror-related “as a precaution”.

“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,” they tweeted.

The Guardian reported that Scotland Yard counter terrorism is involved in the investigation.

Earlier, police said they had detained a man. London Ambulance Service has declared a “major incident”.

“Police were called at 1:58pm to a stabbing at premises near to London Bridge. Emergency services attended, including officers from the Met and @CityPolice. A man has been detained by police. We believe a number of people have been injured. Further info to follow,” Metropolitan Police said on Twitter.

According to the BBC, a group of men were fighting on the bridge. Police then arrived and shots were fired.

An eyewitness told CNN he was in a meeting in a building near London Bridge when he heard “more than five” gunshots.

A video has emerged showing police officers aiming guns at a white lorry that jack-knifed across London Bridge.

The footage shows several officers surrounding the vehicle before moving to the rear to check its container.

Metropolitan Police have cordoned off the area and advised anyone nearby to “follow the directions of any officer on the ground.”

Transport for London confirmed that London Bridge station, a major terminus for commuters across the southeast of England, was closed due to an “emergency services incident.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was briefed on 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,” he tweeted.

London Bridge was the scene of a terrorist attack in June of 2017, in which Islamic State (ISIS)-inspired attackers ran down people on the bridge, killing two. They then proceeded to stab several people to death in nearby Borough Market.