London Bridge: suspect shot dead by police in attack ‘treated as if terror-related’

Lots of information coming in as I write. This is the Guardian. I don’t always like their political stance, but they are speedy with the information from the scene on this. 

Police have shot a suspect after five people were injured in a stabbing incident near London Bridge.

The Metropolitan police said the circumstances were unclear but that the incident was being treated “as though it is terror-related”.

Police said they were called to a stabbing at premises near the bridge shortly before 2pm on Friday.

Graphic footage posted on social media showed armed officers apparently pulling civilians off a person lying on the ground on the bridge before firing at him from close range.

Station staff at Monument underground station nearby confirmed that five people had been injured in the attack. The tube station was closed off as armed police investigated.

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, is giving a press conference outside Scotland Yard. He confirms the suspect died at the scene. It has been declared a terrorist incident.  Due to reports that the suspect was wearing a suicide vest a cordon remains around the area. But Basu said the police now believe the vest was a hoax suicide vest.

Nothing has been released yet (if the police even know themselves) about the identity of the man, which might give a clue as to his terror cause. But this is not an IRA modus operandi.