Knife Attack in London Downtown

By Trevor Durham on August 3, 2016

According to the Metropolitan Police, there has been a mass stabbing  incident in Russell Square, London. The attack has ended and a man is in custody.

Mark Edwards posted this image on Twitter

The Guardian and BBC have reported that at least one woman is dead and six injured from the attack. The woman was the wife of an FSU Psychology professor, who both were planning to come home in the next few days.

Darlene Horton, the wife of FSU’s Richard Wagner, passed away on the scene of the attack. Wagner was teaching a course in the study abroad program, mere feet away from Russell Square, which ended earlier that day. Students had already returned to the US, while Wagner and Horton planned to remain a few days longer.

This attack in the center of London was subdued, with the arresting officer using only a taser.

The Metropolitan Police are investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism, but as of this update, the only motive seems to be mental-health issues. The suspect in the attack was 19 year old Norwegian man.

According to RT UK, the police were called to respond to the “ongoing attack” in Russell Square at 10:33pm, where they found the attacker in progress. The paramedics attempted to revive the woman, but was pronounced dead at the scene.

The official statement released says:

Police were called at 22:33 hours on Wednesday, 3 August to reports of a man seen in possession of a knife injuring people at Russell Square, WC1.

Officers attended the scene along with the London Ambulance Service.

Up to six people were found injured at the location.

A female (no further details) was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later.

We await an update on the condition of the other persons injured and details of any other injuries.

A man was arrested at 22:39 hours and a Taser was discharged by one of the arresting officers.

Additional police units have been deployed to the area to provide reassurance.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Terrorism is one possibility being explored at this stage.

There is no evidence yet to suggest any motives.

A caller to BBC Radio London claimed to be on the scene. The man, who gave the name Paul, said: “Apparently it was a gang stabbed a woman and she’d dead… we didn’t actually see anything but some people in the bar saw something.”

This attack comes just a day after Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Metropolitan Police Chief, announced he would increase security and armed patrols in London as a pre-emptive defense from terror attacks. He hoped to ‘confront terrorists’ and wanted police ‘prepared to deal with the worst situations,’ Metro reported.

Stay tuned as the story updates.

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