Woman in her 60s knifed to death and five injured in possible terror attack in central London as man, 19, is tasered
The horror attack took place last night in Russell Square, where one of the 7/7 terror bombs was detonated
AN American woman in her 60s was knifed to death and five others injured during a bloodbath attack carried out by a Norwegian-Somali man in central London last night.
Witnesses described victims "screaming and covered in blood" following the rampage in which the woman was brutally knifed by a man around 10.30pm.
Police sources confirmed the attacker hailed from Norway and is of Somali descent - and added that he has shown no signs of radicalisation.
Other terrified onlookers described the crazed knifeman chasing pedestrians and "lunging for anyone he could see" as police confirmed mental health was a likely factor.
A 19-year-old man was arrested at the scene after being tasered by police in Russell Square as officers yelled: "Put it down."
It comes as dramatic footage emerges of the suspect being arrested by police last night.
Witnesses reported the dying woman's final words were: "He's still here, he's still here."
Those injured were British, Australian, Israeli and another American.
London mayor Sadiq Khan urged people to remain "calm and vigilant".
The horrific incident happened just yards from where one of the 7/7 terror attack bombs detonated in 2005.
One witness described a "chubby" white man in a t-shirt and shorts acting suspiciously.
Fernando, 40, a paralegal from Brazil, said: "I was cycling by and people screamed at me to stop. It was a Spanish family who approached me.
"It was a mother and father and two sisters. Then I saw a white lady, in her sixties, slumped against the railings.
"She had her head in a Spanish woman's lap, the lady, who was trying to keep her alive by talking to her. They were not related, I think the Spanish family were just passing by.
"She had been stabbed in the back. She was bleeding. There was an English man who was white, I'd say around 45. He had been stabbed in the side.
"Then there was another lady. I didn't know her nationality but I think she was white. She was in her twenties. She had been stabbed in her arm.
"The old lady had been stabbed in the back.
"The lady from the Spanish family told me that the guy had passed by, running, stabbing people. They said he had been wearing black shorts and a white t-shirt and was chubby.
"They said they thought he was white but he was covering his face like this [with arm] I think as he was stabbing people like this."
Police confirmed terrorism was "one line of inquiry that we should explore".
A knife used in the attack was pictured lying on the ground next to the murder scene - apparently tossed to the floor by the killer.
Three men and two woman were also injured - two of whom remain in hospital following the horrific mass stabbing near the capital's Imperial Hotel.
One witness 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.
"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."
What we know so far about the Russell Square stabbings:
- A 19-year-old Norwegian man of Somali descent attacked six people with a knife in central London's Russell Square at around 10.30pm last night
- Detectives could see no evidence that he had been radicalised
- An American woman in her 60s was killed and another five injured. Two remain in hospital.
- The five injured hail from Britain, Australia, Israel and the USA.
- The attacker has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held at a South London police station.
- Police confirmed they were not ruling out the incident being terror-related and said they believed mental health was a key factor.
Images emerged this morning of police forensic teams removing the body of the victim, while blood was clearly visible on the forensics tent.
The suspect is in custody at a South London police station after being arrested on suspicion of murder.
Midlanders Fay and Ken Clegg were walking back from Shaftesbury Theatre at the time of the attack.
They told The Sun: "We saw what we thought were blue flashing lights. The bar was absolutely packed but we didn't know what was happening just outside.
"It's shocking to think it happened so close. We must have just missed it."
Emma Pigdon, 40, had been to the theatre with her husband Mark, also 40. The couple, visiting from Durham, had been celebrating their birthday.
Teaching assistant Emma said: "We were on our way back from the theatre when we saw a woman being worked on by the emergency services.
"I couldn't tell if she was wearing a patterned dress or if it was blood. She looked so tiny I thought she was a teenager.
"We went to get a coffee and when we came back she was covered by a sheet.
"There was also a guy leaning against railings with his top off. He had a bandage around his lower chest."
Rehana Azam, 42, of Darlington, was staying at the Imperial Hotel when the incident happened.
She said: "I looked out my window and thought somebody had collapsed and saw a paramedic performing CPR on the person on the ground.
"More and more emergency vehicles, including police cars and ambulances, arrived and I saw a number of people being treated.
"But then it became clear the person being treated for CPR had died as they put a blanket over them.
"I saw another person - who I think was a male - being taken into an ambulance on a stretcher. It was awful.
"A police officer and a paramedic were comforting someone who was very distressed, it could have been a family member of the victim. They were very upset."
He was just lunging at people randomly and stabbing them. He was just going for anyone he could see.
Another witness told the Evening 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.
“I ran out to look and saw all the paramedics around one woman who was badly injured, trying to help her.";
A guest at the hotel described seeing a man "parading" up and down the pavement in a biker helmet, while another said they witnessed a second man speeding off on a motorcycle.
Met Police Chief Sir Bernard Horgan-Howe hailed his officers for preventing more bloodshed last night.
He said: "I am proud that last night our specialist firearms officers were on the scene in six minutes and, using only a Taser, detained the subject.
"That demonstrates our commitment to use force in a professional and proportionate way.
"Their swift response undoubtedly helped to prevent more people from getting injured."
Last night, anti-terror chief Mark Rowley, a Met Police Assistant Commissioner, said "mental health was a significant factor" in the attack but that "terrorism was still a line of inquiry".
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Speaking outside Scotland Yard, Commander Rowley said: “Police were called just after 10.30pm last night to reports of a man, armed with a knife, assaulting people in Russell Square, Camden.
“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 also confirmed the Met's new fast response anti-terror unit would be on the capital's streets today to reassure members of the public.
He added: “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 enquiry for us to explore.”
London mayor Khan said: "I urge all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant. Please report anything suspicious to the police. We all have a vital role to play as eyes and ears for our police and security services and in helping to ensure London is protected.
"Our police officers are doing an incredibly difficult job on our behalf and they have my full support."
The female victim, in her 60s, was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead not long after.
Police have said that it is “inappropriate at this time to give any more personal details about her”.
Lauren Britty, whose brother allegedly witnessed the attack, claimed on Twitter that the woman may have been part of a hen party.
Did you witness last night's attack? Do you know the attacker? Get in touch with The Sun's news desk on 0207 782 4102 or email us on [email protected]
Another witness has claimed that the women involved were with two men and that they were all speaking Spanish.
A receptionist at the nearby Imperial Hotel in Russell Square said: “We don’t know what’s going on.
“The police have been in the square since about 10.30pm.”
Additional police units have been deployed to the area.
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."
Twenty six 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 in July 2007.
A bomb was detonated on the same day at nearby Tavistock Square, killing six.
Yesterday's attack came on the same day the Met announced it was to put more armed officers on public patrol as part of anti-terrorism plans.
Do you know any of the victims? Get in touch with The Sun's news desk on 0207 782 4102 or email us on [email protected]
A newly-formed unit comprised of heavily-armed anti-terror police was unveiled to respond quickly to lone-wolf terror attacks.
On Sunday Metropolitan Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe warned that a terror attack in the UK was a case of "when, not if".
Counter-terror police are also probing the attempted abduction of a serviceman at knifepoint from a road near RAF Marham in Norfolk on July 20.