Major incident in Oxford Street stood down after no evidence of shots found

A major terror alert in central London has been stood down after no sign of shots, casualties or suspects could be found. At 4.38pm on Friday (November 24), Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and British Transport Police officers responded to reports of shots fired in Oxford Street and on the Underground. Oxford Street was evacuated as the public was advised to take cover in buildings or avoid travelling to the area. The MPS said it responded “as if the incident is terrorist related”. But at around 6pm, the MPS said: “Officers working with colleagues from British Transport Police carried out an urgent search of the area. No causalities, evidence of any shots fired or any suspects were located by police. “Some cordons remain in place and additional officers remain on duty in the West End to reassure the public. We thank the public for their patience and assistance during our response.” Reports on social media including claims that gunfire was heard and there was a fire at Oxford Street underground station. The MPS said it had not found any evidence to support the claims and informed the public that it is now safe to leave buildings and to follow the direction of police officers on the ground. A MPS spokesperson said: “At 16:38hrs on Friday, November 24, police started to receive numerous 999 calls within a short space of time reporting shots fired in a number of locations on Oxford Street and at Oxford Circus underground station. “Given the nature of the information received, the Met responded in line with our existing operation as if the incident was terrorism, including the deployment of armed officers.” Mayor of London Sadiq Khan thanked the MPS, security services, British Transport Police, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service NHS Trust for their swift response. “The Met have confirmed they have found no evidence of shots fired or casualties. Police are standing down from the scene and Oxford Circus and Bond Street have now re-opened and trains are running,” he said. “It is extremely important that we all remain vigilant and don`t panic. It is vital that we are not complacent – if in doubt it is always best to err on the side of caution and call the police on 999.”