London Bridge terrorist attack: 7 dead, suspects killed after stabbing attack
Seven people died and nearly 50 were injured when a terrorist attack unfolded in the heart of the British capital on Saturday night on the London Bridge. Authorities claim all of the suspects had been fatally shot by officers.
Officials said a vehicle barreled into pedestrians on London Bridge, and then three attackers embarked on a stabbing rampage at nearby Borough Market.
The National Health Service in England told the press that 21 people injured in the attack were in critical condition.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said “things must change” when it comes to counter-terrorism policies.
“We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are,” she told reporters outside her official residence on Sunday. “There is — to be frank — far too much tolerance of extremism in our country.”
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said the three terrorists were wearing what appeared to be explosive vests, but they turned out to be fake and adding that all of the attackers were believed to have been killed.
Rowley said at a press conference later Sunday that investigators were making “significant progress” in identifying the three attackers and confirming if they were the only ones involved. He detailed the police response, claiming that eight officers fired 50 bullets while trying to stop the attackers, an “unprecedented number of rounds.”
It was a “matter of life or death,” as the assailants appeared to be wearing suicide belts, he said.
One member of the public was shot during the exchange but did not sustain life-threatening injuries, Rowley said.
The French embassy in the UK said on Twitter that a French citizen was among those killed. Earlier, Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said one of its citizens was killed in the attack.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan described the incident as a “horrific terrorist attack,” adding: “My message to Londoners … is to be calm and vigilant today.”
When asked whether elections planned for Thursday should be postponed, Khan said “I’m not an advocate of postponing the election.”
“One of the things these terrorists hate is voting,” he said Sunday morning. “They hate democracy, they hate elections and the public choosing who should be our leaders.”
A multi segment panoramic image of the London skyline from the Bermondsey banks of the Thames. 2008 Photo by DAVID ILIFF
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