American woman killed, 5 injured in London stabbing attack

A stabbing in London, England has left one woman dead and five others injured, according to local police.

The incident occurred at around 10 p.m. local time when police said they found a 19-year-old man using a knife to attack people at Russell Square. Officers arrived on the scene and used a taser to subdue the man who is being held in custody at a London hospital.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, head of counterterrorism at the Metropolitan Police, said early indications suggested that mental health was a factor in the attack.

In a statement issued Thursday, Rowley said there is no evidence that the 19-year-old suspect was radicalized or that he was motivated by terrorism.

“Whilst the investigation is not yet complete – all of the work that we have done so far, increasingly points to this tragic incident as having been triggered by mental health issues,” he said. “At this time we believe this was a spontaneous attack and the victims were selected at random.”

Metropolitan Police have identified the victim as a 60-year-old American woman. Another American was injured in the attack, alongside an Australian, Israeli and British citizen.

The incident came just days after authorities had warned the public to be vigilant in light of attacks inspired by the Islamic State group elsewhere in Europe.

READ MORE: What’s safe? European security changes after wave of terror attacks

Rowley said more officers will be put on the streets in order to calm any fear stemming from the stabbing attack.

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“This attack will cause concern. So as a precautionary measure we have increased the number of officers out on the streets today and that will continue for as long as we need it to,” he said.

“I want everyone who is out and about in London today – our residents; businesses or visitors – to know that the Met is totally committed to doing everything we can do to protect you.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged the public to keep calm and remain vigilant, and encouraged people to be the first line of defence against any form of attack.

“We all have a vital role to play as eyes and ears for our police and security services and in helping to ensure London is protected,” he said.

Knives are the most common murder weapon in Britain, which has strict gun-control laws. There were 186 knife killings in the year to March 2015, according to government statistics – a third of all murders.

In the last three years London has seen two knife attacks by people inspired by radical Islam. In May 2013, two al-Qaida-inspired London men killed off-duty soldier Lee Rigby in the street near his barracks. In January, mentally ill Muhiddin Mire tried to behead a London Underground passenger, shouting that he was doing it “for Syria.”

Police in Britain do not carry guns for the most part – a principle that remains unchanged. Even with the additional armed officers, most of London’s 31,000 police officers will not be armed.

– With files from The Associated Press and Global News reporter Nicole Bogart