Six people have been killed and at least 48 injured in the UK capital after a van ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge and attackers went on stabbing spree in the nearby Borough Market area before being shot dead by police.
“Armed response officers then responded very quickly and bravely and confronted the three male suspects who were shot and killed on Borough Market,” Mark Rowley, Britain’s top anti-terrorism officer, said.
“Sadly, six people have died in addition to the three attackers shot by police,” Rowley said.
The attacks came just five days ahead of a national parliamentary election on Thursday. The ruling Conservative Party suspended national campaigning on Sunday, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said.
“Following updates from police and security officials, I can confirm that the terrible incident in London is being treated as a potential act of terrorism,” May said in a statement as events unfolded.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that 2017 general election should not be postponed.
“I’m not an advocate of postponing the election. I’m a passionate believer in democracy and making sure that we vote and we recognize actually that one of the things these terrorists hate is voting, they hate democracy” he said.
According to Khan, the official threat level remained at severe, but he urged people not to panic.
We have taken 48 patients to hospital following the incident at #LondonBridge https://t.co/hCiKVCBrnb pic.twitter.com/5ipl5vtcTB
— London Ambulance Service (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 4, 2017
The incident in London becomes a third in the chain of terror attacks, which have hit the United Kingdom recently.
On March 22, an attacker identified as Khalid Masood, drove his car into pedestrians on the Westminster Bridge in the city’s center. He then left the car, armed with a knife, and attempted to enter the Parliament building. The attack left five people dead, including the attacker, and at least 50 people injured.
