London terror: 'Heroic' off-duty policeman tried to fight off knife-wielding jihadis
AN “utterly heroic” off-duty policeman tried to fight three knife-wielding jihadis with his bare hands after rugby tackling them, it emerged today.
The unnamed officer suffered sickening injuries as he valiantly tried to stop their bloody rampage through Borough Market.
He was one of three Metropolitan Police officers injured during Saturday night’s carnage in London.
A plain clothes officer needed stitches to his head while a uniformed policeman received cuts to his arm as the full horror of the terror attack becomes clear.
The off-duty officer, who has not been named but who is stationed in Southwark, remains in hospital in a serious condition after trying to disarm the crazed attackers in the street.
Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “It’s hard to pick out individual stories but I am immensely proud of him and what he did.
My understanding is that, without hesitation, wearing his normal clothes, he dived in and tried to assist, and he I’m afraid was himself severely injured, but utterly heroic.
“He had finished a day’s work and was having a drink with friends and he witnessed the attack.
“My understanding is that, without hesitation, wearing his normal clothes, he dived in and tried to assist, and he I’m afraid was himself severely injured, but utterly heroic.”
Details of the officer’s selfless actions emerged after it was revealed a British Transport Police officer armed only with a baton was repeatedly stabbed after taking on the three jihadis.
He was one of the first on the scene after a hired van ploughed into dozens of pedestrians on London Bridge.
Chilling moment London Bridge attackers enter Borough Market
Only in the job for less than two years he raced towards the mayhem but was outnumbered by the terrorists who were brandishing terrifying 12ins blades.
He suffered serious facial, head and leg injuries and remains in a stable condition in St Thomas’s Hospital in central London.
Ms Dick described the police response as “extraordinary”, adding: “I think those of us who weren’t there are in awe of what both the police officers armed, the unarmed officers we’ve heard about and indeed the emergency services and members of the public - just extraordinary amounts of courage shown.”
BTP chief constables Paul Crowther said the bravery his officer showed was “outstanding”.