London terror attack: Police accidentally shot member of the public during response

Bystander in hospital but not critically injured after being hit by wayward bullet as officers fired 'unprecedented' 50 bullets

Police accidentally shot a member of the public during the response to last night's terror attack in London.

Mark Rowley, Assistant Commission of the Metropolitan Police, made the admission while providing an update on the atrocity which killed at least seven people and injured at least 48, leaving 21 fighting for their lives in hospital.

“As the officers confronted a terrorist, a member of the public also suffered a gunshot wound,“ he said, adding: ”Although the injuries are not critical in nature, they are in hospital receiving medical attention.”

He also revealed officers fired an “unprecedented” 50 bullets as they confronted the three attackers, who had used a van to ram pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing random passers-by.

Police fired to kill the three London Bridge terrorists because they believed the attackers were wearing suicide belts, the country's head of counter-terrorism said.

“Eight police firearms officers discharged their weapons. Whilst this will be subject to an investigation by the IPCC, our initial assessment is in the region of 50 rounds - in the region of 50 bullets - were fired by those eight officers," Mr Rowley added.

“The three attackers were shot dead. The situation these officers were confronted with was critical - a matter of life and death - three armed men wearing what appeared to be suicide belts.”

The white transit-style van drove into a crowd of people “at about 50mph”, according to witnesses, before continuing onto nearby Borough Market where three men began attacking people. Three suspects were shot dead by armed police.

A total of 12 people are being held by police after early morning raids on Sunday on flats in Barking, eat London, in connection with the attack.