London Bridge stabbing a terrorist attack, suspect shot dead at scene – counter-terror chief

The man shot by police on London Bridge has died at the scene, Britain’s top counter-terrorism officer told reporters. The suspect was strapped with a fake bomb and the incident is being treated as a terrorist attack.

Police shot the suspect dead, after he stabbed multiple people near London Bridge on Friday, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu told reporters that afternoon. The man died at the scene.

“This is a terrorist incident,” Basu told reporters, adding that investigators believe the man was wearing a hoax explosive vest.

READ MORE: 2 victims dead in London Bridge stabbing – report

In response, Basu said that the Metropolitan Police would be stepping up patrols in London, and that the area will remain cordoned off for some time, to ensure “no further danger to the public.”

After speaking to reporters, Basu traveled to Downing Street to brief Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the situation. Johnson condemned the attack as an “appalling incident.”

It is still unclear how many people were stabbed before police ended the attacker’s rampage. News reports suggest that at least five people were injured. The attack brought chaos to the busy central London thoroughfare, with police rushing to the bridge and ordering the public to remain indoors. 

A group of bystanders managed to tackle and disarm the suspect, and video footage shared on social media showed officers breaking up the scuffle before shooting the man at close range with a submachine gun. 

Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has previously been criticized for the terror attacks that have taken place in London under his watch, commended the “breathtaking heroism” of the bystanders who intervened.

London Bridge was also the scene of a vehicle-ramming and stabbing attack in June 2017, which left 11 people dead.

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