Five people are injured in a stabbing nearby London Bridge; Armed police 'shoot
a knife brandishing man' as area evacuated amid major security operation in capital.
Armed police are at the scene in London Bridge with sirens blazing as detectives say they are dealing with an incident in one of the busiest areas of the capital.
Police have said they are “dealing with an incident” at London Bridge amid reports of shots being fired.
Five people were reportely injured but their conditions are not immediately clear, but users on social media reported hearing gunshots around 2 p.m., local time.
A photograph on Twitter shows a truck parked across the road surrounded by police cars and video showed armed police pointing guns at a person who appeared to be lying on the pavement.
Police evacuated London Bridge station and set up a cordon at Borough Market while nearby shops and businesses were evacuated.
“We are in the early stages of dealing with an incident at London Bridge,” City of London Police said. “If you are near the scene, please follow the directions of any officer on the ground.”
London Ambulance Service said it had crews at the scene and the London Fire Brigade said it was assisting the police.
A witness who works nearby told The Independent they saw a body bag being carried to the scene.
A BBC reporter said he heard shots being fired and saw someone on the ground.
“Just a few minutes ago I was walking across London Bridge on the south bank to the north bank of the bridge,” John McManus told BBC News.
“There appeared to be a fight going on on the other side of the bridge, with several men attacking one man.
“Police then quickly arrived, including armed police, and then a number of shots were fired at this man.
“Police have now cleared the bridge, everybody has been told to move back and now on the northern side of the bridge, but there are more shots going on.
“I can’t see what’s happening now because we’ve been moved out of the way but there are shots going on, and you probably hear the police sounds as well.
“Everybody has cleared the area, the entire bridge has been moved, and right on the northern part of the bridge, right up until quite near the Bank of England, is being cleared.”
Police have not yet confirmed whether they are dealing with the shooting as terror-related.
But the location will bring back memories for many Londoners of the 2017 London Bridge attack, which started just metres away.
That saw three Isis supporters plough a hired van into pedestrians on London Bridge, before going on a stabbing rampage in nearby Borough Market.
They killed eight victims before being shot dead by armed police.
The attack, which was the third Islamist atrocity to hit the UK in 2017, caused barriers to be put up on London Bridge and other major crossings over the Thames.
A coroner’s report into preventing future deaths warned that others could die unless authorities made changes.
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