A murder probe has been launched after two men died following a quadruple stabbing in London, with a third man fighting for his life.
Officers were called at around 1pm today to reports that multiple people had been assaulted outside a business in Long Lane, Southwark, which is near to both London Bridge and Tower Bridge.
Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance Service treated four people for stab wounds at the scene, where they pronounced a 58-year-old man dead.
Three other men were taken to hospital where a 27-year-old man has since died, and a man in his 30s, who has been detained in connection with the incident, is in a critical condition.
The third man, also in his 30s, has suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.
The area is currently cordoned off with police tape as officers continue to investigate.
One local, who wished to remain anonymous, told of her fright at discovering the stabbing had happened through her two-year-old son’s nursery.
She said: ‘[The nursery] sent us an alert while I was at work saying that there’d been a stabbing and that the roads would be cordoned off.
‘It’s terrifying. When I walked down to the nursery, I was trying to find out information about whether it was targeted or random because I think you hear a lot about stabbings in London.
‘The police said there had been a stabbing and that it’s a very serious incident, but the danger has been contained.’
Tonight’s incident has even caused the woman to reconsider living in the area over concerns of violence.
She added: ‘It’s really shocking. To have this in an area where I’m raising a child makes me worry that I shouldn’t be living somewhere like this, now that we have a family.’
Natasha Ennin, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for community safety and neighbourhoods, said she was ‘horrified and deeply saddened’ by the deaths in the borough.
She added that her ‘heartfelt condolences’ go out to the families and friends of those involved and called on anyone with information to report it.
Detective Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said investigations are underway to probe the full circumstances of the ‘shocking incident’.
She continued: ‘At this point, we do not believe it to be terrorism-related and there is no further risk to the public.
‘There will be a heavy police presence in the area throughout today and I would encourage anyone with information to speak with officers or contact the Met by other means.’
Anyone with information can also call 101, report online or contact @METCC on X and quote CAD3499/28.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson added: ‘We were called at 1.04pm today (28 July) to reports of a stabbing on Long Lane, SE1.
‘We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, incident response officers, a command support vehicle and paramedics from our tactical response unit.
‘We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London’s Air Ambulance, which consisted of a paramedic and a doctor in a car.
‘We treated four people at the scene. We took three patients to major trauma centres as a priority. Very sadly, despite the best efforts of our crews, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.’