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Hundreds of people have been relocated from the Oxford Circus tube station due to reports of gunshots.
Armed police have arrived on the scene to handle the situation after a gunman was reported to be firing shots. The area is also believed to be on lockdown.
The shooting had been notable as November 24 is considered one of the busiest shopping days in the country, meaning that thousands of people could possibly be on the streets when the shooting had happened.
No evidence of shooting or suspects were found by police, as confirmed in a statement, according to Bloomberg.
In a statement, according to Telegraph, Scotland Yard has confirmed that the incident is being treated as a possible “terror incident.” At this time, however, there are no reported casualties. It was later confirmed that one woman was injured while leaving the station.
The Met Police eventually gave a statement explaining the situation, according to Joe:
Police were called at 16:38hrs on Friday, 24 November to a number of reports of shots fired on Oxford Street and underground at Oxford Circus tube station. Police have responded as if the incident is terrorist related. Armed and unarmed officers are on scene and dealing along with colleagues from British Transport Police. If you are on Oxford Street go into a building and stay inside until further direction. Avoid travelling to the Oxford Street area.
Eventually, police confirmed a lack of evidence, making the incident appear to be a false alarm, according to the Standard. At around 6 PM (local time), the incident had been stood down, with members of the public being allowed to leave buildings, with the Tube station also reopening. At this time, it is not clear what sparked the panic or 999 calls to the police reporting gunshots.
As one witness, identified as Lilly Steger, told the Standard:
There were screams and then everybody started running. I thought originally it was a car driving into traffic. Everybody ran into stores or hotels.
As the police added in a statement, some officers will stay in the area to reassure people that everything is safe:
Some cordons remain in place and additional officers remain on duty in the West End to reassure the public. We thank the public for their patience and assistance during our response.
According to authorities, a few people had been injured during the evacuation. According to The Evening Standard, Stuart Crichton, London Ambulance Service assistant director of operations, explained:
We checked over and treated several patients who sustained injuries while leaving the Oxford Circus area.
We discharged seven patients at the scene and took eight patients to two central London hospitals for minor injuries.
Photos of the Oxford Circus Incident
Updates on the Oxford Circus Incident
