A teenager was killed on a bus, a knifeman shot dead by police and three people were stabbed in a series of bloody incidents in London last night.
The man brandishing knives at police officers was shot dead in Westminster , the teenage boy was stabbed to death in Croydon and three men in their 20s were rushed to hospital after a knife attack in Bow - all unrelated but within hours of each other.
During the Westminster incident armed police used a Taser and a gun to take down a man understood to have been confronted by officers on patrol in Great Scotland Yard before pulling out two knives.
The Metropolitan Police said the officers had challenged the man after noticing him "acting suspiciously" near Trafalgar Square on Sunday evening.
The force was quick to stress the incident, which took place at 11.25pm, was "not being treated as terrorism".
The man was pronounced dead at the scene by the London Ambulance Service, with a cordon having been put in place in and around the scene, including adjoining Northumberland Avenue.
He has not been identified but an investigation into what happened has been launched.
Just under nine miles away, a boy, believed to be 17, was knifed to death while traveling on a bus in South Norwood.
The teenager suffered multiple injuries during the incident at around 8.30pm and was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.07pm.
Police have launched a murder investigation.
No arrests have been made, although a Section 60 Order has been put in place until 1.10pm today giving police extra stop and search powers following the tragedy.
That incident comes just weeks after Tyler Roye was found with stab wounds, also in Croydon.
The 24-year-old died from his injuries in hospital in the early hours of February 27.
The incidents in Westminster and Croydon were followed by multiple stabbings in Bow, which saw three men taken to hospital - though their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Police were called to Alfred Street, Bow, at 1.22am following a report of a stabbing.
Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended the scene and treated three people in their 20s with stab injuries, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said.
No arrests have been made and enquiries continue, with some road closures in place at the time.
Like the Croydon incident, a section 60 has been authorised until 10am today for the borough of Tower Hamlets.
Police were also keen to stress this incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Anyone with information relating to any of these incidents can call police on 101.
