Seven people have been arrested, including four boys aged between 14 and 17, following the Bromley High Street stabbing that left one man in a critical condition on Thursday afternoon, police have said.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed four men were taken to hospital after the attack. One remains in a critical condition. Three others were also taken to hospital; their conditions have not been disclosed.
Bromley High Street stabbing: what happened
Paramedics and the London Air Ambulance were called to Bromley High Street at about 14:20 BST on Thursday. Emergency vehicles attended the scene, with photographs posted on X appearing to show a section of the high street cordoned off by officers.
The high street remains closed in both directions between Ringers Road and Ethelbert Road. Police say there is not believed to be any wider threat to the public, and officers remain at the scene.
The manager of Merkur Slots gambling shop, on Bromley High Street, said she witnessed the incident begin. She said she saw ‘a fight spill out’ on to the high street and described becoming ‘very worried’. She locked three customers inside the premises to wait for the situation to calm down. The shop remained closed, she said, with the customers still inside.
Arrests: adults and youths in custody
Seven arrests have been made in total in connection with the Bromley High Street stabbing. BBC News reported that four of those arrested are boys aged between 14 and 17, all of whom remain in custody. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the total arrest figure but did not give a further breakdown at the time of publication.
The arrest of multiple youths is likely to focus attention on the ages of those involved in the disorder. All seven arrested remain in custody, according to police.
The Metropolitan Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward. Officers are continuing to investigate.
Bromley High Street is a busy retail thoroughfare in south-east London. The road closure between Ringers Road and Ethelbert Road is affecting traffic in the area, and residents and shoppers are being advised to avoid the location while police work continues at the scene.
The London Air Ambulance, which operates helicopter and rapid-response services across the capital, attended alongside ground-based paramedics. No further details on the conditions of the three other men hospitalised have been released.
The Metropolitan Police said inquiries into the full circumstances of the Bromley High Street stabbing are ongoing.
