Police investigate possible terror link after three dead in Reading stabbings
Counter-terrorism police assisting investigation and one man has been arrested
Several people are in hospital, two critically, after the atrocities in Forbury Gardens, Reading on Saturday night. Photograph: Claire Gould/Twitter
Vikram Dodd and David Connett-Counter-terrorism police have joined the investigation after a stabbing attack in Reading left three people dead and two critically injured.
Thames Valley said officers and other emergency had services attended “multiple stabbings” at a park in Forbury Gardens, Reading on Saturday night.
A man has been arrested and is understood to be Libyan.
Police said they had taken several casualties to the Royal Berkshire hospital.A hospital spokeswoman confirmed that two of them were in critical condition in the emergency department.
Disturbing videos on social media showed scenes of victims receiving resuscitation treatment.
Shortly after the stabbings initial inquiries led to police calling in counter terrorism investigators.
Inquiries are underway to establish if terrorism may have been a motive but too early to be definitive yet.
Some initial inquiries by counter terrorism investigators cause them concern that it may be, so counter-terrorism police and the security service MI5 are assisting the investigation.
Senior government officials including Boris Johnson, the prime minister, and Priti Patel, the home secretary, are being kept informed of developments because of the initial inquiries suggesting terrorism may be a possibility.
Suggestions that it was linked to a Black Lives Matter protest that took place in the park earlier on Saturday were dismissed. Organisers said the peaceful protest ended nearly two hours before the incident at 7pm. Crowds who attended had dispersed without any trouble, a spokeswoman said.
Two air ambulances and several police vehicles responded incident.
Johnson tweeted: “My thoughts are with all of those affected by the appalling incident in Reading and my thanks to the emergency services on the scene.”
Patel tweeted that she was “deeply concerned” and it is understood she is being kept updated on the situation.
Freelance journalist Claire Gould, who lives near the scene, told the PA news agency she saw the emergency air ambulance vehicles land on the nearby Kings Meadow as a police helicopter circled overhead.
She described hearing lots of sirens and said surrounding roads and a retail park had been cordoned off by officers.
The leader of Reading council, Jason Brock, tweeted: “Concerning reports from Reading town centre - please stay clear of the area as Police are dealing with a serious incident.”
“Officers are on the scene and investigating the incident.”
The National Police Chief’s Council tweeted: “Please avoid speculation or sharing of video or images of the serious incident in Reading. An investigation will be ongoing.”
Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, described the stabbing as “very concerning” and urged people to listen to the NPCC and not share footage of the incident that has been circulated online.
In November the UK’s national terrorism threat level was lowered from severe to substantial for the first time in five years.
The “substantial” threat level means there a high level of threat and an attack might well occur without further warning.
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