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Footage captures moment heroes tackle London Bridge terrorist

Bystanders have been filmed rushing to tackle a man wearing a fake suicide vest who went on a stabbing rampage and killed two innocent victims on London Bridge on Friday.

Shocking footage shows a crowd of men surrounding the attacker while armed with various items including a fire extinguisher and sticks just moments after one man reportedly chased and tackled the terrorist to the ground.

The attacker began his rampage just before 2pm local time, targeting people at Fishmongers' Hall near London Bridge - the scene of a deadly attack by Islamist militants two years ago.

Out on the street, half a dozen bystanders held the suspect to the ground and grabbed his knife.

Man wielding knife taken from attacker who shot dead two innocent people on London Bridge.
A bystander shown holding a knife after the stabbing on London Bridge. Source: Associated Press

One witness was shown running away from the scene with one of the attacker’s knives in his hand.

A video posted on Twitter showed police dragging one man off the suspect before an officer took careful aim. Two shots rang out. The attacker stopped moving and has since been confirmed dead.

The Times newspaper reported the attacker had previously been convicted of an “Islamist terrorism-related office”.

He was released from prison about a year ago after agreeing to wear an electronic tag, The Times said, citing unnamed government sources.

Attacker on ground surrounded by police on London Bridge after killing two innocent people.
Suspect is surrounded by police after fatal stabbings on London Bridge. Source: Associated Press

Thomas Gray, 24, was among a group of men who dragged the killer to the floor near Fishmongers’ Hall on Friday.

The tour firm manager said he stomped on the terrorist’s wrist to try to make him release one of two large knives he was carrying

Mr Gray told the PA news agency: “I was brought up on rugby and the rule is ‘one in, all in’. I did what any Londoner would do and tried to put a stop to it.”

Mr Gray said he had been driving tourists northbound on London Bridge with his colleague Stevie when they saw several people running towards the south of the bridge.

He said they did not know what to do, so he turned the car off and by the time he got to the attacker, he had been “wrestled” to the floor by “five or six other blokes”.

“He had two knives on him, one in each hand, and it looked like they were taped to his hands,” Mr Gray said.

“I stamped on his left wrist while someone else smacked his hand on the ground and kicked one of the knives away.

“I went to pick up the knife when I heard a cop say ‘he has got a bomb’. I then got back and hid behind a school bus which was full of kids at the time.”

Mr Gray said he saw “two or three” shots fired by police hit the attacker, who then “hit the deck”.

Man with knife leaving the scene of fatal stabbing on London Bridge where two people were stabbed to death.
Members of the public tackled the suspect, as a man left the scene with one of his knives. Source: Associated Press

“I then heard a fourth one and then a pop and a bang, followed by ‘run, run, run’,” he said.

“I turned and ran and then heard a volley of shots from behind us.”

Mr Gray told ITV News the attacker was being chased by five men with a “fire extinguisher” before he was wrestled to the ground.

The attacker, who was wearing a fake suicide vest, has not been named.

With Reuters

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