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Chaos and Panic as More Terrorist Attacks Unfold in the Heart of London

AP

Shortly after 10 p.m. on a busy Saturday night attackers in a white van sped across the historic London Bridge striking several pedestrians in what was the start of two horrifying terrorist attacks that played out over several hours.

At least half a dozen people were injured on the bridge, according to witnesses, and one person jumped into the Thames River to avoid being struck by the van, a witness told CNN.

The vehicle sped at about 50 miles per hour as it mowed down pedestrians, according to BBC reporter Holly Jones, who was on the bridge at the time of the attack and narrowly avoided being struck by the van.

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At least three—and possibly as many as five—knife-wielding assailants then reportedly fled the van and began randomly stabbing people in the street. They continued to the popular Borough Market, an area with crowded restaurants and pubs, where several others were injured.

A stabbing incident in Vauxhall, about 15 minutes from the bridge by car, was unrelated to the terrorist attacks, police said after authorities initially responded to emergency calls from the area.

Police closed off large areas surrounding the bridge and Borough Market, clearing people from pubs, restaurants, local apartment buildings, and homes.

Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots or explosions throughout the night, both near the bridge and in Borough Market, although it is unclear what caused them.

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The London Ambulance Service said 20 victims were taken to six local hospitals. Other victims were treated at the scene.

As the attacks unfolded, many people barricaded themselves inside of local restaurants and hotels.

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In a story published shortly after midnight, The Sunday Times wrote, “Members of our own staff were witnesses to the attack and our chief sub-editor had to leap out of harm’s way. Mercifully he was not hurt.”

Metropolitan Police declared the attacks terrorist incidents shortly after midnight, and Prime Minister Theresa May rushed to Downing Street to coordinate with security officials, the BBC reported.

“The Metropolitan Police are responding to the horrific terrorist attack at London Bridge and Borough Market. My thoughts are with everyone affected, and I’d like to thank the brave men and women of our emergency services who were first on the scene and will be working throughout the night,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement.

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“We don’t yet know the full details, but this was a deliberate and cowardly attack on innocent Londoners and visitors to our city enjoying their Saturday night. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. There is no justification whatsoever for such barbaric acts,” he added.

A video posted by journalist Peter Yeung shows police tackling a suspect:

The attacks come less than two weeks after the Manchester Arena bombing, which killed 22 people—many of them children—at an Ariana Grande concert on May 22. British authorities have arrested 17 people in connection with the investigation of that attack, according to CNN.

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The London Bridge and Borough Market incidents also follow a similar attack on the Westminster Bridge last March in which 52-year-old Khalid Masood drove a van at high speeds plowing over dozens of pedestrians, killing four people and injuring 50 others. Masood then stabbed a police officer to death before he was killed by police.

Several Londoners took to Twitter to offer shelter and tea for those stranded in the area Saturday night.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump also responded to the crisis on Twitter, first by retweeting a Drudge Report post about the attacks, and then politicizing the crisis by attacking U.S. courts and calling for approval of his Muslim ban:

In his third tweet, Trump offered to help London.

This story is developing.

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