Terror attacks on London: What we know so far

 

By Laura Bohnert

England has been a target for violence of late, with recent attacks at the London Bridge and Borough Market, the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, and in Westminster.

A total of 33 people have been killed in the past three months as a result of terror attacks that have targeted specific locations throughout England.

Most recently, seven people were killed and dozens were injured during the attacks at London Bridge and Borough Market on Saturday June 3.

Three attackers emerged from a white rental van and began stabbing civilians at pubs and restaurants in Borough Market Saturday night at around 10:00 p.m. This occurred just after the van was driven into pedestrians on London Bridge.

The attackers, armed with 12-inch knives and wearing fake suicide vests with canisters strapped to them (designed to spread panic), were shot by police within eight minutes of the alert.

Police raided multiple properties in east London in the following days, detaining multiple individuals, many of which are believed to have been associated with the attacks.

Among those killed in the attack were 39-year-old Ignacio Echeverria (Spain), 32-year-old James McMullan (London), 21-year-old Sara Zelenak (Australia), Sebastien Belanger (France), 27-year-old Alexandre Pigeard (France), 28-year-old Kirsty Boden (Australia), and Chrissy Archibald (British Colombia, Canada).

According to London Ambulance Service, 48 others were taken to five hospitals in the capital; 21 were in critical condition, including a police officer who was stabbed in the attack. A number of other civilians were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The incident follows the recent Manchester attack, which took place at Manchester Arena in northern England during an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, killing 22 people and injuring dozens more.

Manchester-born Salman Abedi (22) has been identified as the suspected bomber, and a 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with the attack in the following days.

Identified victims include 15-year-old Megan Hurley (Halewood), 18-year-old Courtney Boyle (Gateshead), 32-year-old Philip Tron (Gateshead), 50-year-old Wendy Fawell, off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod (Barra, Scottish Isles), 17-year-old Chloe Rutherford (South Shields), 19-year-old Liam Curry (South Shields), 14-year-old Sorrell Leczkowski (Leeds), 14-year-old Nell Jones, Martyn Hett, 45-year-old Michelle Kiss, 50-year-old Jane Tweddle-Taylor (Blackpool), 42-year-old Marcin Klis (Poland), 40-year-old Angelika Klis (Poland), 32-year-old Kelly Brewster (Sheffield), 15-year-old Olivia Campbell, 26-year-old John Atkinson (Radcliffe), 45-year-old Alison Howe (Oldham), 47-year-old Lisa Lees (Oldham), eight-year-old Saffie Rousos, and 18-year-old Georgina Bethany Callander.

The Westminster attack, which took place near the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday March 22, claimed the lives of four people and injured 50 (some critically), including three police officers.

Fifty-two-year old Khalid Masood targeted civilians on Westminster Bridge with his Hyundai 4X4 before driving into the railings in front of Parliament Yard and through the gate to the Palace of Westminster. He emerged from the vehicle with two large knives and stabbed an unarmed police officer before being fatally shot by a close protection officer of Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon.

The incident took place around 2:40 p.m.

Multiple arrests and police seizures have been made in connection to the incident.

Among those killed on Westminster Bridge were Aysha Frade (London), Kurt Cochran (Utah), and 75-year-old Leslie Rhodes (Streatham). Pc Keith Palmer (48) died as a result of his injuries.

The attacks are all being treated by police as terrorist incidents; however, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre at MI5 headquarters has recommended the official threat level not be raised from severe to critical.