The Met’s homicide command was leading the investigation into the attack, with support from the counter-terrorism unit, Rowley said.
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‘Early indications suggest that mental health was a factor in this horrific attack.
Armed police were called at 10:33 p.m. (2133 GMT) after a man armed with a knife started to attack people in London’s Russell Square, a park near the site of a 2005 suicide bombing.
Authorities said a suspect, a 19-year-old man, is in police custody at a hospital.
A man went on a rampage with a knife in the London’s Russell Square on Wednesday evening, killing a woman and injuring five others.
Khan told reporters that while Britain’s “severe” threat level remained unchanged, “in light of recent deadly attacks in Europe it is important we are prepared should the unthinkable happen”, he said ahead of the initial police deployment on Thursday.
The police has arrested the suspected attacker.
Officers were called to Russell Square at 10.33pm local time (2133 GMT) following reports a man armed with a knife was attacking people.
“An army of police and ambulance plus what look like body bags”, he posted on Facebook.
“Helen Edwards tweeted: “#Police guarding cordon around #russellsquare #bedfordplace #southamptonrow.
Forensic officers at the scene on Wednesday night. “Only one part of the square was closed, the side with hotels and businesses”.
The episode occurred just hours after officials announced the start of Operation Hercules, an initiative that included the addition of 600 armed officers to better protect the city against an attack.
The U.K. was already on high alert, knowing that the possibility of a’ terror attack was a matter of “when”, and not “if”, according to Metropolitan Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.
A British woman calling herself Lauren told AAP her brother was among a group of University College London students walking back to campus from the nearby Gielgud Theatre when “they heard a scream”. “You could only see the feet sticking out”. “Another girl had blood on her arm”. “She was lying on the floor with a friend hugging her”.
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“And then at about 12.30, when we were coming out, there were about five or six people running off towards Bedford Square”.
