Seven dead, 48 injured and three suspects killed after London terror attack

THE death toll from the terrorist attack in London Bridge has risen to seven, the head of Scotland Yard has revealed.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick condemned the atrocity as “appalling” and “ghastly”.

She said police believe there were three attackers and that all had been “neutralised”.

Attackers brought carnage to the streets of the capital, stabbing a police officer and revellers with 12-inch knives, reportedly shouting “this is for Allah”.

The trio were pictured wearing what appeared to be explosive vests, with police later confirming they were hoaxes.

Police were called at around 10.08pm to reports of a vehicle striking pedestrians on London Bridge.

The white van then continued to drive to Borough Market.

Three men then left the vehicle and began to stab people, including a British Transport Police Officer;

The suspects were confronted and shot by police at Borough Market within eight minutes of the first call being made.

In addition to seven fatalities, 48 people are being treated in hospital after being injured in the attack.

It is the third terrorist atrocity in Britain in less than three months after the Westminster and Manchester attacks in March and May.

Addressing media outside Scotland Yard, Ms Dick said: “Last night we saw another appalling and tragic incident in London – something we hoped we would not see again.”

The commissioner said: “Our understanding is that there were three peopleinvolved in the attack.
“We have witness reports of three people armed with knives and three attackers. And we believe the threat that they posed was neutralised within eight minutes.

“Of course it’s a very complex and confused scene, and a confused series of events, so it’s important that we first of all make sure that there is no one else outstanding.

“We don’t believe there is but we must make absolutely certain … and as I said we have a very large investigation ongoing and we will be seeking to establish whether anyone else was working with or assisting in any way, or helping in the planning of this attack in the way that you would expect.

“So at the moment we believe there were three attackers and we believe they are dead.”
The official terror threat level in the UK is currently at severe, the second highest category.

Ms Dick said authorities are already at a “very high level of alertness”.

She said: “Severe means that an attack is highly likely, and the threat level was at severe.

“So, we were prepared potentially for an incident as we have been for some considerable time. The threat level is a matter, as you know, for the independent JTAC, the terrorism analysis centre, and they take a whole range of factors into account in setting the threat level.

“In my view, we responded extremely well to this ghastly, ghastly incident.

“I can tell you that we will be doing absolutely everything in our power to try to stop such horrendous attack as this.

“We will be working with the Government, and with our colleagues in the intelligence services to do so.”