LONDON (AP) — The death toll from a terror attack at the heart of London rose to seven Sunday as Prime Minister Theresa May convened an emergency security cabinet session to deal with the crisis. The assault began Saturday night when a van veered off the road and barreled into pedestrians on busy London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said. The attack unfolded quickly, and police said officers had shot and killed the three attackers within eight minutes.
Armed British police officers walk with a detection dog within a cordoned off area after an attack in the London Bridge area of London, Sunday, June 4, 2017. Police specialists collected evidence in the heart of London after a series of attacks described as terrorism killed several people and injured more than 40 others.
The violence turned a summery night in an area packed with revelers into a scene of panic and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee. Lifeboats on the River Thames helped evacuate the area, which is popular with tourists. It remained closed off Sunday and police urged residents and tourists to stay away.
The latest attacks come just days before Thursday’s general election. May’s Conservative Party had been expected to win by a wide margin but recent polls have showed the race tightening. Major parties temporarily suspended national campaigning Sunday.
Will Disrupt Democracy
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the attackers hoped to disrupt democracy and hamper plans for voting, but that would not happen. He said Londoners should remain vigilant but added: «I’m reassured we are one of the safest global cities in the world.»
Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said that while police believe all the attackers were killed, the investigation continued. «We believe three people were involved, but we still have got some more inquiries to do to be 100 percent confident in that,» he said.
As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revelers struggling to get home. Khan said some of the injured were in critical condition. French President Emmanuel Macron said French citizens were among the wounded.
Only hours before, bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets — likely from armed police — and at least three blasts rang out as officers performed controlled explosions. One image taken by a witness showed a man on the ground surrounded by police; he appeared to be wearing a vest with canisters attached to it.
Looked like explosive vests
«The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests,» Rowley said. «But these were later established to hoaxes.» Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them.
«They kept coming to try to stab me. They were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people,» he told the newspaper. «I want to know if this girl is still alive. I’ve been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don’t know what to do.»
Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the restaurant where he worked, which was nearly full. «I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening,» he said.
Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area. Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing.
«We ran for like 100 meters and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire,» he said. «I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. … Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire, reports Associated Press.
