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A NUMBER OF people have been injured in a stabbing at a park in Reading, England.
The incident is suspected to be terror-related.
Emergency services, including two air ambulances, were called to the scene of the incident in Forbury Gardens, a park in Reading town centre, at around 7pm this evening.
Thames Valley Police said that a man was arrested at the scene who is now in police custody.
“A number of people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital,” the police said on Twitter. Reports suggest that some of the injured are in serious condition.
Lawrence Wort, 20, was around 10 metres from where the attack took place. He said: “The park was pretty full, a lot of people sat around drinking with friends, when one lone person walked through, suddenly shouted some unintelligible words and went around a large group of around 10, trying to stab them.
“He stabbed three of them, severely in the neck, and under the arms, and then turned and started running towards me, and we turned and started running.
“When he realised that he couldn’t catch us, he tried to stab another group sat down, he got one person in the back of the neck and then when he realised everyone was starting to run, he ran out of the park.”
A police cordon remains in place as an investigation is carried out.
The British Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted that she was “deeply concerned” by the incident.
“My thoughts are with everyone involved, including police and emergency responders at the scene,” she added.
Images on social media showed emergency services and a police presence with roads cordoned off.
The leader of Reading Council Jason Brock tweeted: “Concerning reports from Reading town centre – please stay clear of the area as police are dealing with a serious incident.”
Freelance journalist Claire Gould, 33, who lives near the scene, said she saw the emergency air ambulance vehicles land on the nearby Kings Meadow as a police helicopter circled overhead.
She described hearing lots of sirens and said surrounding roads and a retail park had been cordoned off by officers.
Thames Valley Police said on Twitter that officers are at the scene and investigating the incident.
“Police attended at around 7pm along with other emergency services,” the police said on Twitter. “Officers arrested a man at the scene who is now in police custody.”
A Black Lives Matter protest had taken place at the park earlier in the day.
“There is no indication that this incident is linked to the Black Lives Matter protest that took place in Reading today,” Thames Valley Police tweeted.
With reporting from PA Media
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I am reading unconfirmed reports that three people have died and a further two people are in a serious condition, a man is in custody, awful news, what is going on ?
@Honeybee: it’s now being treated as a terrorist incident…
@Honeybee: forbury Gardens is in the centre of Reading. A beautiful spot to have your lunch break. There was a Black Lives Matter protest earlier today… I don’t think it has anything to do with what has happened. Unfortunately it’ll be the centre of attention until they find out the reason behind this. Supposedly they have got someone in custody.
@Ann Neylan: I watched the video as it happened.. Totally shocking!…. You can’t unsee things.
@Kate Flaherty: OMG, how frightening, the poor people in the park, to think this could happen to anyone on a lovely day in a public park after all people have gone through in the last few weeks, how cruel.
@Ann Neylan: Ann , this is so shocking, I am so sorry to hear this dreadful news, the poor families who will have to deal with this heartbreak.
@Honeybee: absolutely dreadful!… I’m on the fence where the police are concerned, but I have to say they were doing an amazing job before the ambulances arrived.
@Ann Neylan: hopefully all will recover. Looked pretty awful though.
@Ann Neylan: I think 3 people have died. So heartbreaking for the families involved. The video I saw was people motionless on the ground and police officers giving Cpr. All I can say is fair play to them for trying.
@Ann Neylan: I think you should remember this when it comes to police, they have their bad days but by and large they are men and women doing there best to serve the community.
@Shimmy Shammy: well said
Libyan asylum seeker, named as arrested terror incident suspect. Source ; sky news.
We opened are doors to this, and they are still open.
@Braonain Proinseas: oh give over! Ignorance
Terrorist attack. The footage is horrific. Libyan arrested.
@Sylvia O’Regan: How many times can they use the mental illness excuse?
@Chewns: Basically everytime.
@Chewns: yes, it’s like the same thing when that poor Garda was shot the other day, the perpetrator had mental health issues! Still doesn’t justify murder!
@Sylvia O’Regan: Are people sharing footage? I hope you will report them and think of the grieving families before watching it or sharing it yourself.
@Sylvia O’Regan: Reading a few of your comments over the last few days I’m thinking you should join Anti-Corruption Ireland.
@Chewns: so long as they want and ppl believe it
As if people don’t have enough to deal with without these fanatics making life harder.
2 “Asians” arrested in the town square.
Not looking good. Sky News describing “major incident”
@Vladimir Macro: It’s more likely to be Islamists/Jihadists rather than anything to do with BLM.
@Vladimir Macro: you must feel pretty stupid as it was nothing got to do with BLM.
@Vladimir Macro: because the attack had nothing to do with BLM gathering. That’s why.
@James Walsh: it is unless other terrorist are adopting the Allah Akbar chant
@Johnny 5: you have proof of that
Anyone sharing footage of this tragic incident should be reported to the relevant authorities. The grieving families are going through enough torture without knowing their loved ones murder is all over WhatsApp and Facebook. My thoughts are with the victims families at this sad time. Hoping those injured make a full recovery.
@Johnny 5: well said, for all the flak the media gets anymore, they at least are professional and have an established protocol for sensitive matters such as this.
Ah shure it’s just “part and parcel of living in a big city”
3 white Brits stabbed in the neck and another 10 white Brits or so seriously injured by an ethnic minority migrant after a BLM event in Reading park. More carnage was avoided by the heroism of a police officer.
That’s horrible, hopefully everyone makes a speedy recovery x
Ya blm lol guaranteed
@Seosamh Púinse: it’s not
“Part and parcel”
It has been confirmed, 3 people killed and more with very serious injuries
RIP to those murdered and a hopefully quick recovery to the injured
Dublin Live headline. Could of just said reading
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