UK

Armed police seal off mosque after man fatally stabbed nearby

Police outside London Central Mosque, near Regent's Park, London after a man was found stabbed in a nearby street. Picture by: Dominic Lipinski/PA
Police outside London Central Mosque, near Regent's Park, London after a man was found stabbed in a nearby street. Picture by: Dominic Lipinski/PA

ARMED police have sealed off a mosque in London after a man was fatally stabbed in a nearby street.

The Metropolitan Police said the victim was found with stab wounds in Elmton Court, Cunningham Place, Westminster, at about 6.15pm on Thursday.

He was treated at the scene with help from London ambulance service paramedics but later died in hospital, the force said.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the incident is linked to a raid at a nearby mosque.

"We do have officers searching the area for the suspects," she said.

The Met tweeted that the attack was not terror-related.

It said: "Officers continue to deal with a stabbing at Cunningham Place/Park Road, Westminster. We can confirm that this incident is not terror-related. Searches for suspects are ongoing."

Video from outside the mosque shared on social media showed armed police at the gates to the London Central Mosque, near Regent's Park, as a helicopter circled overhead.

A police cordon was in place at the mosque following the incident, with officers flanking parts of the building's perimeter, as a helicopter methodically circled overhead.

A section of the A41 Park Road was also closed off by police.

The Labour MP for Westminster North, Karen Buck, said on Twitter: "Deeply saddened to hear this awful news. Police have been in contact with me and we await further details."

No arrests have been made.