British police have stated that they a man who stabbed three people after lunging at them with a large knife in a shopping mall in Manchester has been arrested on suspicion of an act of terrorism.
"He was initially arrested for serious assault and taken to police custody," Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson told reporters. "He's now been arrested on suspicion, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism."
Earlier in the day, Manchester Police said on twitter that they were responding to a knife incident at the shopping mall.
Incident In Arndale Shopping Centre. pic.twitter.com/siOkmWZFgC
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) October 11, 2019
According to media reports, armed police officers are patrolling inside the shopping mall.
Footage from outside the shopping centre, shared on social media, shows police vehicles arriving at the scene.
Breaking news in Manchester #Arndale #Manchester https://t.co/goCteUovWc
— Leek TV (@tv_leek) October 11, 2019
Another video on social media shows a man on the ground with a police officer pointing a taser at him.
@MENnewsdesk guy being held by police with a tazer outside the arndale pic.twitter.com/O8y0786CEw
— John Greenhalgh (@JohnGre07881147) October 11, 2019
The UK ambulance service said that it was treating four people after the incident at the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester.
It is not known whether there are any fatalities.
According to recent data from the Bureau of National Statistics, the number of knife crimes in England and Wales is growing steadily. For the year from March 2018 to March 2019, the police registered more than 43,500 crimes with the use of knives and other piercing and cutting objects, which is 8% higher than the previous year.
