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American man among victims of U.K. terror attack, U.S. ambassador says

Click to play video: 'American among victims of U.K. stabbing attack: reports'
American among victims of U.K. stabbing attack: reports
WATCH: American among victims of U.K. stabbing attack: reports – Jun 22, 2020

An American man was among the three victims stabbed to death in a park in the English town of Reading that is being treated as a terror attack, the U.S. ambassador to Britain confirmed Monday.

Ambassador Woody Johnson offered his “deepest condolences″ to the families of those killed in the attack on June 20. A 25-year-old man who is believed to be the lone attacker is in custody but officials said the motive for the carnage was unclear.

Click to play video: 'Reading park stabbings: U.K. PM Boris Johnson ‘appalled and sickened’ by ‘terrorist incident’'
Reading park stabbings: U.K. PM Boris Johnson ‘appalled and sickened’ by ‘terrorist incident’
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“Our thoughts are with all those affected,″ Johnson said. “We condemn the attack absolutely and have offered our assistance to British law enforcement.”

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Three people were killed and three others seriously wounded in the stabbing attack Saturday evening in Forbury Gardens park in Reading, a town of 200,000 people 64 kilometers west of London.

Click to play video: 'Eyewitness describes stabbing attack by ‘lone man’ in Reading park'
Eyewitness describes stabbing attack by ‘lone man’ in Reading park

The Philadelphia Inquirer named the American victim as Joe Ritchie-Bennett, a friend of James Furlong, a history teacher named by his school as one of the victims.

Ritchie-Bennett was 39 and had moved to England from the U.S. around 15 years ago. His father, Robert Ritchie, said his son worked for a law firm in London before taking a job about 10 years ago at a Dutch pharmaceutical company that had its British headquarters in Reading.

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Britain’s official terrorism threat level remains at “substantial” after the attack.

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