London 'terror' Attack leaves American woman dead and five injured

                                

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a US citizen was killed and five other people were injured in a knife attack in central London.

Police believe the attack in Russell Square on Wednesday was "spontaneous", with victims "selected at random".

The woman who died was thought to be in her 60s. The injured people were from Britain, America, Israel and Australia.

Police arrested a 19-year-old Norwegian national of Somali origin. They say there is no evidence of radicalisation.

The Met Police's assistant commissioner for specialist operations, Mark Rowley, said the investigation was increasingly pointing to the attack being "triggered by mental health issues".

He had earlier said the force was considering terrorism as a line of inquiry. Mr Rowley, Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer, told a press conference it had been necessary to consider "all possibilities" following recent terror attacks across Europe.

Armed police were called to the square shortly after 22:30 BST on Wednesday after receiving reports of a man attacking people with a knife.

They arrived within six minutes and chased the suspect, who eyewitnesses said had blood on his hands. They said police ordered him to stand still but he kept running. He was then Tasered by officers.

Two other women and three men received various injuries in the attack, which happened near the Imperial Hotel.

One person from the group remains in hospital while the others have since been discharged. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

The US ambassador to the UK, Matthew Barzun, said of the woman who died: "Heartbreaking news that a US citizen was killed in #RussellSquare attack. My prayers are with all the victims and their loved ones."

After receiving treatment in hospital, the arrested man, who was detained in Bedford Place, is now in police custody in south London.

Norwegian police said in a statement the man had emigrated from Norway in 2002 and they were assisting London police.

The Met said they had searched an address in north London on Thursday morning and another will be searched in south London.

Mr Rowley said there would be an increased police presence on the streets in the wake of the attack - including armed officers - to "provide reassurance and safety".

Met commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the force's "swift response undoubtedly helped to prevent more people from getting injured".

While a few TV cameras remain, the street is beginning to look like normal again, with only a small but growing number of floral have been left along the park railings.

There were 214 suspected homicides in England and Wales where a knife or sharp instrument was used in 2015-2016 - the total number of deaths has varied between 187 and 237 in the past five years.

Source: Met Police/ONS