November 24, 2017 No Comments

Armed police lock down Oxford Street amid panic

Shoppers were warned to "go into a building" amid fears of a terror-related incident - but cordons have since been lifted.

Video:Armed police inside Selfridgeshousands of shoppers fled in panic as armed police swooped on London's Oxford Street and Oxford Circus Tube station after receiving reports that shots had been fired.

Crowds of people poured out of Selfridges department store, all Underground trains were stopped in the area, traffic was blocked and officers locked people inside shops.

The alarm was raised shortly after 4.30pm. It was an hour-and-a-half before Met Police gave the all-clear.

During that time, armed officers searched Oxford Circus Tube station, Selfridges and other shops.

There were rumours and false reports of shots fired in Selfridges, a gang fight on the Tube and of a lorry surrounded by police with blood on the pavement - none of these have proved to be true so far.

Image:Armed officers responded to the alert

Video:Panic as hundreds of people rush from scene

Eyewitnesses reported being caught in "stampedes" and said there was "pandemonium" as police treated the incident as if it was terrorist-related.

However, Met Police said they could find no evidence of shots fired or any suspects.

They added: "Given the nature of the information received, the Met responded in line with our existing operation as if the incident was terrorism, including the deployment of armed officers.

"Officers working with colleagues from British Transport Police carried out an urgent search of the area."

:: Oxford Street alert as it happened

Several people were injured while trying to leave the area - seven were treated at the scene and nine were taken to hospital.

Image:Police urged people to stay away from the area

Image:Shoppers were led out of Selfridges department store

British Transport Police said there was "a significant level of panic", adding that it was "examining the circumstances of the incident which resulted in the station being evacuated".

Pictures and video on social media showed armed officers at Oxford Circus station and people being led away from Oxford Street.

Selfridges later said the evacuation of its shop was a precautionary measure and there were "no reported incidents in store".

Bryce Malcolmson, who works in Soho, said he was in Oxford Circus Tube station when he heard a call over the loudspeaker for a police officer to attend one of the platforms.

He told Sky News: "Suddenly I just heard screaming and people running out of the station. Everybody turned round in sort of pandemonium and started trying to exit the Tube as quickly as possible.