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| Oxford Circus incident latest: Reports of gunshots spark mass panic but police still unable to find evidence of attack | Oxford Circus incident latest: Reports of gunshots spark mass panic but police still unable to find evidence of attack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Armed police have evacuated part of central London amid unconfirmed reports of gunshots in Oxford Street and Oxford Circus Tube station. | Armed police have evacuated part of central London amid unconfirmed reports of gunshots in Oxford Street and Oxford Circus Tube station. |
| Police say they had responded "as if the incident is terrorist related" but have not yet located any casualties or evidence of shots, with searches continuing. | Police say they had responded "as if the incident is terrorist related" but have not yet located any casualties or evidence of shots, with searches continuing. |
| "To date police have not located any trace of any suspects, evidence of shots fired or causalities," a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said. | "To date police have not located any trace of any suspects, evidence of shots fired or causalities," a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said. |
| "Armed and unarmed officers are on scene and dealing along with colleagues from British Transport Police (BTP). | "Armed and unarmed officers are on scene and dealing along with colleagues from British Transport Police (BTP). |
| BTP also said its officers had been unable to find unable find any evidence of gunfire, adding that investigations continued. | BTP also said its officers had been unable to find unable find any evidence of gunfire, adding that investigations continued. |
| Reports of gunshots originated on the westbound Central Line platform at Oxford Circus station, promoting passengers to flee up exits towards Oxford Circus and Regent Street. | Reports of gunshots originated on the westbound Central Line platform at Oxford Circus station, promoting passengers to flee up exits towards Oxford Circus and Regent Street. |
| “This caused a significant level of panic which resulted in numerous calls from members of the public reporting gunfire,” a BTP spokesperson said. | “This caused a significant level of panic which resulted in numerous calls from members of the public reporting gunfire,” a BTP spokesperson said. |
| “Officers responded in line with our procedures of a terrorist incident, this included armed officers from BTP and the Metropolitan Police. | “Officers responded in line with our procedures of a terrorist incident, this included armed officers from BTP and the Metropolitan Police. |
| “A full and methodical search of the station and Oxford Street was conducted by our specially trained firearms officers.” | “A full and methodical search of the station and Oxford Street was conducted by our specially trained firearms officers.” |
| Ryan Butcher, an Independent reporter who was inside the station at the time, said passengers were told to evacuate the station in a tannoy announcement saying there had been a “reported emergency”. | Ryan Butcher, an Independent reporter who was inside the station at the time, said passengers were told to evacuate the station in a tannoy announcement saying there had been a “reported emergency”. |
| He had reached street level when panic broke out and people started running. | He had reached street level when panic broke out and people started running. |
| "I just heard screams, someone shouted 'run," he added. "People started falling over in the streets. | |
| "I saw everyone running into buildings so I went into the nearest one." | "I saw everyone running into buildings so I went into the nearest one." |
| Mr Butcher was sheltering in a nearby restaurant, where he said other people were "shaking and crying", adding: "It's just terrifying." | Mr Butcher was sheltering in a nearby restaurant, where he said other people were "shaking and crying", adding: "It's just terrifying." |
| He has since been allowed to leave by police officers, who later lifted security cordons in the area. | |
| Police were first called at 4.38pm, with the incident coming as shoppers flocked to central London seeking reductions on Black Friday. | Police were first called at 4.38pm, with the incident coming as shoppers flocked to central London seeking reductions on Black Friday. |
| “At this stage, we have received one report of a woman sustaining a minor injury when leaving Oxford Circus station,” a spokesperson for BTP said. “There are no other reported casualties." | “At this stage, we have received one report of a woman sustaining a minor injury when leaving Oxford Circus station,” a spokesperson for BTP said. “There are no other reported casualties." |
| The London Fire Brigade said it had sent three fire engines and 15 firefighters to the scene. | The London Fire Brigade said it had sent three fire engines and 15 firefighters to the scene. |
| Both Oxford Circus and Bond Street station were closed during the alert but have since been reopened. | Both Oxford Circus and Bond Street station were closed during the alert but have since been reopened. |
| The incident came two months after a bomb partially exploded on a Tube train at Parsons Green station in a suspected Isis-linked terror attack. An 18-year-old Iraqi refugee, Ahmed Hassan, has been charged with attempted murder and explosives offences. | The incident came two months after a bomb partially exploded on a Tube train at Parsons Green station in a suspected Isis-linked terror attack. An 18-year-old Iraqi refugee, Ahmed Hassan, has been charged with attempted murder and explosives offences. |
| Oxford Circus was previously evacuated in August after a small fire caused by an electrical fault on a Bakerloo Line train. | Oxford Circus was previously evacuated in August after a small fire caused by an electrical fault on a Bakerloo Line train. |
| Two people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation in the incident, which was under investigation. | Two people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation in the incident, which was under investigation. |
| There were additional fears of a terror attack in South Kensington, where a car hit pedestrians near the Natural History Museum last month, but police confirmed the collision was an accident. | There were additional fears of a terror attack in South Kensington, where a car hit pedestrians near the Natural History Museum last month, but police confirmed the collision was an accident. |
| The national terror threat level in the UK remains set at "severe", meaning further attacks are highly likely. | The national terror threat level in the UK remains set at "severe", meaning further attacks are highly likely. |