No Indication of Terrorism in London Stabbing, Police Say

An American woman killed, five people injured in Russell Square attack.

U.K. police said there was no evidence that a 19-year-old man who killed an American woman and injured five other people in a stabbing attack in central London had been radicalized or motivated by terrorism.

The man, a Norwegian of Somali origin, remained in custody on Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of murder in the Russell Square attack late Wednesday. Based on interviews with him and his family, police said they believed mental health was the main factor in the assault.

“So far we have found no evidence of radicalization or anything that would suggest the man in our custody was motivated by terrorism,” Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said. “While the investigation is not yet complete, all of the work that we have done so far increasingly points to this tragic incident as having been triggered by mental health issues.”

The woman, who was in her 60s, died at the scene, police said. Two other women and three men—U.S., Australian, British and Israeli nationals—were injured. U.S. Ambassador Matthew Barzun called the woman’s death “heartbreaking” in a social-media post. Police said they were waiting to release her name until officers met with her family and a formal identification took place.

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