[Sharon]

A knifeman has gone on the rampage in central London and stabbed to death a woman in her 60s and injured five more people in a potential terror attack.

Police were called to Russell Square at 10.30pm last night after the suspect, 19, chased and stabbed pedestrians in the back, side and arms who were left 'screaming and covered in blood' on the pavement.

He was arrested after armed officers Tasered him to the ground and he is now under police guard in hospital. A woman was pronounced dead at the scene and two women and three men were taken to hospital.

The killer's knife was abandoned on the pavement and next to it the body of the unnamed victim remained under a forensics tent overnight and was taken away by ambulance this morning.

Hotel staff on Russell Square, an area always packed with tourists, said the attacker was 'just going for anyone he could see' before he was shot and pinned face-down by police.

One worker told the Standard: 'The police came to the hotel and a guest was telling them what he saw. He said there was a madman running around with a knife just lunging at people randomly and stabbing them. He was just going for anyone he could see'.

Scotland Yard's top anti-terror officer Mark Rowley said this morning that the 19-year-old appears to have 'significant mental health issues' but admitted terrorism could be a motive.

The Met will send scores of armed officers on to the streets of the London this morning - including members of its new elite counter-terror unit - to reassure the public and in case there is a new attack.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for the public to remain 'calm and vigilant' as police investigate the motive for the stabbings.


The body of a woman in her 60s is taken from the scene


The woman's body remained on the pavement at the scene with a forensics tent covering it until the early this morning, when it was covered and taken into a waiting ambulance



The female victim's body lay under this tent surrounded by medical equipment used as paramedics fought to save her


A forensic expert analyses what is believed to be the weapon used by the attacker


An officer collects the blood-stained clothes of the victims

Witness Philippa Baglee, who was staying in a hotel , said the man was 'parading up and down' in a helmet, suggesting he may have arrived on a motorcycle or moped.

There are fears that the knifeman operated with an accomplice as the Met refused to rule out arresting more suspects. One witness said he saw 'a man flee on a motorbike'. Others suggested a gang may have been involved.

Police have cordoned off the area and additional police patrols are in place in London this morning, and police helicopters hovered over the city well into the early hours.

The incident occurred in the same area as where one of the 7/7 bombs detonated in 2005. A total of 26 people were killed when Germaine Lindsay, 19, detonated a suicide bomb on a Piccadilly line Tube as it moved between King's Cross station and Russell Square.

On the same day a bus was destroyed on Tavistock Square, which is just up the street.

Last night's incident came hours after the Met unveiled its brand new elite anti-terror unit

Scotland Yard confirmed that 'terrorism is one possibility being explored at this stage' and also said that early indications suggest that 'mental health is a significant factor in this case'.

The Met's Assistant Commissioner for special operations, Mark Rowley, said it had been a 'tragic incident'.

He said: 'Early indications suggest that mental health is a significant factor in this case and that is one major line of inquiry.

'But of course at this stage we should keep an open mind regarding motive and, consequently, terrorism as a motivation remains but one line of inquiry for us to explore,' he said.

'Armed officers arrived at the scene within five minutes, they discharged the Taser whilst confronting and arresting the suspect.

'Six people have been injured, including the one woman who sadly died at the scene, and the others have received various injuries.'

He confirmed murder detectives and the counter-terrorism unit had been brought in to investigate the killing.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for the public to remain 'calm and vigilant' as police investigate whether a knife attack that left one woman dead and five people injured was terror-related.

Mr Khan said his 'heart goes out to the victims of the incident in Russell Square and their loved ones' after the death of the woman.


This is the spot where the woman in her sixties died last night on pavement in Russell Square which was still covered in blood this morning


Police have sealed off the scene


A heavy presence of officers and paramedics remain at the scene this morning as homicide and anti-terror officers investigate what happened

The attacker has struck at the heart of London's tourist centre, packed with hotels. At 10.30pm, when he stabbed his victims, the area was full of people who had enjoyed a night in the West End.

One source said the suspect was seen to go 'on the rampage' with the weapon. Another witness said he heard one of the victim's scream before running over to help them.

An eyewitness, who called himself Michael, told MailOnline that he saw a woman - aged around 25 - with blood pouring from her back. He said another woman of the same age was suffering a wounded arm.

He said he believed the victims were heard speaking in Spanish.

He said: 'I heard a scream, and then we went to the park and I saw a girl lying on the floor with blood coming from her back. Another girl had blood on her arm.'

The two women were with two men who were shouting 'tío lo vi todo' in Spanish, meaning 'I saw everything'.

The witness added: 'They all spoke Spanish so I guess they were a group. I only saw the victim and the girl with the arm stabbed from that group.

'I just saw blood just next to her. She was lying on the floor with a friend hugging her.'

Another witness, Jeremy Cheng, said: 'A woman with whom I spoke said that police told her that a gang of some sort was involved – and that they fled south or south west.

'But that is just speculation.'


Police forensic officers are pictured searching the scene with torches in the early hours as they continue to gather evidence

Robbie Deegan, 22, said: 'I saw people running and screaming when we came over here to see what the hustle and bustle was about. We heard a commotion and saw people running away from the square.'

Paul Hutchinson, a taxi driver, said he passed the incident shortly after it occurred.

He said: 'I drove past Russell Square and the road wasn't shut but the pavement was all taped off by police, lots of armed police, lots of cars and the body was just lying on the floor. You could see the boots sticking out from under the cloth.

'Loads of armed police, cars with lights on and the body on the floor.'

Pol O'Geibheannigh, 45, was walking back from the cinema when he saw a massive police presence and a woman lying in a pool of blood.

He said: 'I just knew right away that this is not right. You just don't see armed police around this area.

'This was just wall to wall with armed police. You could see a woman on the floor. There was dark matter around her, which was obviously blood.

'She was lying in a pool of blood with a red blanket on top of her. I went into the bar and it wasn't until an hour later that they put the tent up.

'And then at about 12.30, when we were coming out, there were about five or six people running off towards Bedford Square.

'That level of police presence I haven't seen since 7/7 and I was here - I live around the corner.

'But it was just a matter of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

A 35-year-old man, who did not wish to be named, said he saw three men fleeing nearby Queen Square shortly after the incident. 'One man fled on a motorcycle heading down a pedestrianised area,' he said. 'He obviously looked in a hurry.'

Meanwhile, a guest at the Imperial Hotel said he saw a man lying on the ground. He told MailOnline: 'There was all sorts of commotion going on'.

He added that guests at the hotel have been asked to enter through the rear entrance as the front is cordoned off by police.

Local resident Helen Edwards, 31, said the panic reminded her of the 7/7 attacks. She was woken by the bus bomb at Tavistock Square on July 7, 2005.

Talking about last night's incident, she said: 'It was a bit surreal. It brings back memories of 7/7. I was woken by the bus bomb that day.

'I was walking near Russell Square tonight when I saw several armed police officers and armed response units. I walked around the cordon and saw an ambulance and loads of people'.

Scotland Yard confirmed the incident is being treated as a possible terror offence.

Source and further reading:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...al-London.html

[Sharon]

CNN News report

[JumboSausage]

Jeez, looks like he gutted her.

[kellyhound]

anti-terror officer Mark Rowley said this morning that the 19-year-old appears to have 'significant mental health issues' but admitted terrorism could be a motive.

the latter goes hand in hand with the first.

Early indications suggest mental health is a significant factor in this case and that is one major line of inquiry. But of course at this stage, we should keep an open mind regarding motive, and consequently terrorism as a motivation remains but one line of inquiry for us to explore.

In an update on Thursday morning, that was changed to:
Early indications suggest that mental health was a factor in this horrific attack. However we are keeping an open mind regarding the motive.

[Steve]

Russell Square attack: American woman stabbed to death in London rampage by 'mentally ill' Norwegian-Somalian knifeman as police find no link to terrorism.

[Susan]

Yeah, you could say anyone who acts like this is mentally ill, or mentally disturbed. But is it to the point that they didn't know what they were doing was wrong? We'd have to wait until the psychiatrists have dealt with him, I guess. I read in a different news report that the suspect never said a word as he carried out his attacks.

[rob666]

Originally Posted by slyksleevemuckyey ↗

Yeah, you could say anyone who acts like this is mentally ill, or mentally disturbed. But is it to the point that they didn't know what they were doing was wrong? We'd have to wait until the psychiatrists have dealt with him, I guess. I read in a different news report that the suspect never said a word as he carried out his attacks.

Interesting points

IMHO, anyone that kills others for the sole purpose of appeasing an invisible sky fairy is obviously mentally ill as well.

[LadyCPlum]

Originally Posted by Top Gear ↗

Russell Square attack: American woman stabbed to death in London rampage by 'mentally ill' Norwegian-Somalian knifeman as police find no link to terrorism.

All I have to do is see the words "Norwegian-SOMALIAN", and the mental illness sort of falls by the wayside. If it makes me a bad person for immediately thinking this was a terrorist attack, so be it.

[SLAPAPPY]

Get a big screwdriver and carry it with you to use as a stabby stabby in case your attacked by some whole turd terrorist! If the coppers ask what it's for say, in case I come across someone with a screw loose!

[Sharon]

anti-terror officer Mark Rowley said this morning that the 19-year-old appears to have 'significant mental health issues' but admitted terrorism could be a motive.

I've noticed a surge of mental health problems being the reason for these attacks but I think it's the media covering up the possible true motive to keep the public calm