London Bridge attack: Terror incident leaves up to seven feared dead after van ploughs into pedestrians ‘before three men with hunting knives jump out and start stabbing people’
A GANG of five terrorists wearing stab-proof vests drove a B&Q van into pedestrians at 50mph on London Bridge before attacking revellers with hunting knives.
Up to seven people were feared dead and 20 hurt in the 10pm attack – amid a second incident at nearby Borough Market which armed police are responding to.
Two explosions – believed to be controlled explosions by police – have been heard outside The Sun offices in London Bridge at 1:23am and 1:25am.
A third huge explosion was heard at 1:28am near The Shard in London Bridge as multiple fire engines are parked outside.
Witness Erick Siguenza told BBC News that one of the gang screamed “This is for Allah” as he went on his stabbing rampage.
Staff at a packed pub in London Bridge locked the doors as the gang tried to smash their way in. Witnesses saw one man stabbed in the chest five times.
The gang had metal canisters strapped to their chests and two were gunned down – believe killed – by armed police, witnesses said.
Another three were thought to be still on the run as the police have confirmed that the attacks in London Bridge and Borough Market are “terror incidents.”
One bystander is believed to have been shot in the head by crossfire.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed a third incident in the Vauxhall area, after tweeting “you must run, hide and tell,” which later turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.
Fifty armed police have stormed Monument station with police dogs and have told people to run. The travel hub along with nearby Bank station, both across the river from London Bridge, have been closed.
Prime Minister Theresa May has said the “terrible incident” is being treated as a “potential act of terrorism”.
Paul Clarke filmed the reported stabbing in a restaurant, with police since confiscating his phone for evidence.
He said he heard gunfire unleashed in the restaurant, with a man appearing to be a chef injured.
He said: “I saw three people coming in.
“I don’t know what he had in his hand, it looked like a big long weapon.
“There was a man, one of the kitchen staff, on the floor, and the man was doing a stabbing motion.
“I just thought, we’ve got to get out of here.”
He said he and his friends then ran from the scene.
Alex Shellum, a witness at Mudlark pub under London Bridge, described a horrifying attack in which a woman had her throat slit.
He said: “At around 10pm an injured woman came into the pub seeking assistance.
“She was bleeding heavily from the neck – it appeared that her throat had been cut.
“People sought to stem the bleeding and the pub was closed.
Shots have been fired in the London Bridge area as armed cops were believed to have shot dead two of the men, with a search underway for the third man.
Terrified people have fled while one officer is said to have been “seriously injured” as “multiple” casualties have been confirmed by British Transport Police.
Eye witnesses confirm that several bodies are “strewn on the ground” and people are receiving CPR after being randomly stabbed by “two to three men armed 12 inch long knives.”
A bomb squad and a police helicopter have reportedly arrived on the scene.
The walked wounded are being taken by bus to Liverpool Street station, reports the BBC.
Several gun shots have been fired amid the ensuing chaos.
A Sun journalist at the scene in London Bridge tweeted that he saw one man being led away by police in cuffs.
The white van which reportedly crashed into pedestrians was said to be travelling at around 50mph.
A cab driver told The Sun that he was stuck at traffic lights when he saw a transit van smash into London Bridge.
He heard gunshots and says a police was hurt.
In the Wheatsheaf pub in Borough Market, three men with big hunting knives smashed the glass windows to target drinkers.
One reveller was stabbed five times, while it is believed another took a bullet to the head.
A 40-year-old witness told The Sun: “I was in the Wheatsheaf pub. The doors were locked by the bar staff. Three men with big hunting knives were outside.
“They were trying to get in the pub but the doors were locked. They were smashing the windows.
“I saw at least one man stabbed in the chest about five times.
“Armed police turned up, I saw them shoot at least two of the guys in front of me.
“They had four to five silver canisters attached to themselves and police just opened fire.
“They fired at least 20 times. One of the guys in the pub took a bullet in the head. I think he’s dead.”
There was another casualty in the Thames, according to a source.
Casualties were seen being taken away from Tito’s restaurant on London Bridge Street with blood on the steps of the eatery.
In horrifying footage taken from the scene, police can be heard shouting “clear the area, now” while screaming people can be seen running in fear for their lives.
Jag Sandue was at the Black and Blue steak restaurant when he said he saw several men storm in, armed with knives.
He said a man was cut down behind him, with blood spraying onto Jag’s shirt.
He told The Sun Online: “There were people throwing chairs and glasses outside and I thought it might just be a fight.
“Then I realised it was more than that, people were running.
“Next thing we know, they’re in our restaurant. People were screaming ‘they’ve got knives’.”
He said a man behind him was cut by one of the suspects in the chaos, with people running to the back of the restaurant.
Wendy Clarke, who was also at the Black and Blue steak restaurant, said: “I saw a bottle flying.
“I said ‘oh my god, what’s going on there?’
“And they (friends) got up and the next thing was just pandemonium.
“Everyone was running into the restaurant and the next thing they were shouting was ‘move, move, get out the way’.
“We got under tables.”
She said her son shouted for her help, with the teen claiming he saw one of the men wearing a suicide vest.
Wendy said: “As we were running out the restaurant, we saw blood.
Blood was everywhere.”
One terrified woman said she was at a restaurant and police swarmed on the area.
She said police were firing weapons. “We had to run,” “There was loads of shooting.”
Officers were seen dragging startled diners and revellers out of restaurants and bars and telling them to run.
A witness named Martin said: “There’s been about eight of them stabbed. I ran up to see if they were all right but people were already with them. I was bloody terrified
“I thought is that real? If we had of been on the other side of the road, it could have been us.”
A number of trains stations have been closed in the capital including London Bridge, Waterloo East, London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister is in contact with officials and is being regularly updated on the incident at London Bridge.”
An eye-witness who was standing with his wife at the entrance of London Bridge underground station described the attacker and how he “coldly” attacked a man.
“We saw people running away and then I saw a man with quite a large blade, at least 10-inches, stabbing a man three times.
“He was stabbing him quite coldly, and then the victim slumped to the ground.”
Describing the attacker, he said: “I think he was black, dark-skinned, red tracksuit on, with a red hoodie.
“He walked quite boldly along with another guy in the direction of the Southwark Tavern pub.
“Glass bottles and tables were thrown at them, and then we heard gunshots.”
One sobbing woman said: “We were drinking in the Hawksmoor when all of a sudden a group of police ran out screaming at us to get down on the ground.
“We heard there had been an incident but we had no idea what was going on, it was so frightening.”
Source : thesun.co.uk
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