Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the London Bridge attack that took place on Friday afternoon.
A statement by the terrorist group's Amaq news agency said the attack was carried out by one of its Britain-based operatives but did not provide any evidence. It added that the attack was carried out in response to Islamic State's calls to target countries that have been part of a coalition fighting the jihadist group.
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British police on Friday shot dead a man wearing a fake suicide vest who stabbed two people to death in London and wounded three more before being wrestled to the ground by bystanders, in what the authorities called a terrorist attack.
The attacker went on the rampage just before 2 p.m., attacking people at premises near London Bridge in the heart of the city's financial district – the scene of a deadly attack by Islamist terrorists two years ago.
A dozen bystanders tackled the suspect to the ground and grabbed his knife. A video posted on Twitter showed police dragging one man off the suspect before an officer took careful aim. Two shots rang out. The man stopped moving.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has called a snap election for Dec. 12 and is due to host NATO leaders including US President Donald Trump next week, praised those who took on the man for their courage and said Britain would never be cowed.
"I ... want to pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery of those members of the public who physically intervened to protect the lives of others," Johnson told reporters on Downing Street.
"For me they represent the very best of our country and I thank them on behalf of all of our country," Johnson said. "This country will never be cowed, or divided, or intimidated by this sort of attack."
He said the incident was now thought to have been contained and vowed that anyone else involved would be hunted down.
Britain's top counterterrorism officer, Neil Basu, said specialist armed officers from the City of London police shot the suspect, who died at the scene.
"A number of other people received injuries during this incident," Basu said. "We believe a device that was strapped to the body of the suspect was a hoax explosive device."
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Johnson's main opponent in the election, said he was shocked by the incident and that his thoughts were with those caught up in it.
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