London Police Respond To Oxford Circus Panic; Terrorism Fears Unfounded
UPDATE: London police say they are standing down at a scene of panic Oxford Circus earlier today, with reports of shots fired apparently unfounded. “Additional officers remain on duty in the West End to reassure the public,” the Metropolitan police have tweeted.
There was some confusion as to what exactly happened at Oxford Circus, but what was clear was that there were hundreds of people running away from the underground tube station. Deadline’s London-based co-editor Peter White was walking towards the station on Kingly Court, a busy street full of restaurants and bars, when the incident occurred with many people crying and screaming. Stores and offices were being locked down, yards away from the offices of Deadline’s parent company PMC.
Oxford Circus is one of Central London’s busiest areas and the timing of the incident came as many office workers were starting to leave for home along with many shoppers drawn to a raft of Black Friday sales.
London police now say they have found no “trace of suspects, evidence of shots fired or casualties.”
Previous London police are responding to what is approached as a terrorist incident involving shots fired at the Oxford Circus underground station.
“Police were called at 16:38hrs…to a number of reports of shots fired on Oxford Street and underground at Oxford Circus tube station,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “Police have responded as if the incident is terrorist related. Armed and unarmed officers are on scene.”
No casualties had been found so far, police said.
We have not located any trace of suspects, evidence of shots fired or casualties. Officers still on scene. If you are in a building stay there, if you are on the street in #OxfordStreet leave the area. Officers continue to search the area. More updates as soon as we have them
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) November 24, 2017
London police are telling people to avoid travelling to the Oxford Street area, and to those already in the area to go inside a building and stay until further direction.
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