• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Everything We Know About The London Terror Attack So Far

Seven people died and 48 injured in Sunday night’s terrorist attack that began at London Bridge. 
Everything We Know About The London Terror Attack So Far
Jack Taylor?Getty Images
By Kathy Ehrich Dowd · Updated October 26, 2020

This article originally appeared on People. 

5444699858001

England is reeling once again as a terrorist attack struck central London for the second time in three months, and less than two weeks after the deadly attack in Manchester.

The latest violence has left seven people dead and at least 48 people injured. Read on to learn everything we know (so far) about the attack that has the world grieving.

What happened?

According to the BBC, police said the attack began at 9:58 p.m. when a rented van entered the north side of London Bridge, careening into the pavement and striking several people before coming to a stop at the other end of the bridge near Barroway and Banker pub.

According to U.K.’s The Independent, eyewitnesses told police three people seemingly exited the van and began attacking people with knives as they ran toward nearby Borough Market, a busy section of central London.

“They were running up shouting, ‘This is for Allah.’ They stabbed this girl maybe 10 times, 15 times,” witness Gerard Vowls told the BBC.

The suspects then wreaked havoc for several terrifying minutes, entering several pubs and restaurants while stabbing as many people as they could reach.

The carnage ended after eight minutes when police shot dead all the suspects, Metropolitan Police confirmed. Authorities said they fired an “unprecedented” 50 shots at the men, who were wearing fake suicide vests.

The victims

Seven people died in the attack, and their identities have not yet been released. However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that a Canadian is among the dead.

Please read my statement on the terrorist attack last night in London, which claimed the life of a Canadian: https://t.co/RZeZfgtslU

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 4, 2017

“Canada strongly condemns the senseless attack that took place last night in London, United Kingdom, which killed and injured many innocent people. I am heartbroken that a Canadian is among those killed,” Trudeau said in his statement.

Twenty-one of the 48 people injured are listed in critical condition, reports The Guardian. The BBC reports that four French citizens, two Germans and two Australian citizens are among those affected by the tragedy.

The heroes

Numerous heroes emerged in the hours after the attacks. One woman is being praised for bravely attempting to barricade the door of the Black and Blue restaurant while patrons escaped out a back entrance. A taxi driver who picked up some of the people who escaped spoke to the media about her heroism.

“She managed to hold the door for a few seconds, but they overpowered her. They managed to escape through the rear door, possibly saving a good 20 peoples’ lives,” Aksha Patel told Sky News, per Wales Online.

Others fought back by throwing objects including pint glasses, tables and chairs at the terrorists as they burst into restaurants and pubs as people were enjoying a Saturday night out.

A man named Gerard who had been watching the Champions League soccer final at the Ship pub in Borough Market told The Guardian of how he fought back against the attackers. “I threw something at them, maybe like a stool, a chair,” he said. “Then they ran towards me to try and stab me so I ran away because I knew if I would have slipped over I would be a dead man, I’d be dead, I’d have been killed there and then.”

A taxi driver identified only as Chris told LBC radio that he attempted to ram his cab at one of the terrorists after he watched them unleash their attack on London Bridge.

“I said to the guy in my cab I was going to try to hit him, I was going to ram him. I turned around and tried, but he side-stepped me,” he said.

“I told people to turn around and run away. It sickened me to the pit of my stomach. An absolute animal,” he also said.

After the attack, other Good Samaritans offered up their homes to people stranded after the attack, and people were spotted plastering the area around London Bridge with signs that included the hashtags #TurntoLove, #ForLondon, #ISISwillLose #LoveWillWin.

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now