London cops shoot man dead near Kensington Palace

London Metropolitan Police officers confronted and fatally shot an armed man near Kensington Palace, home of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The incident is not being treated as terrorism.

Officers were dispatched to Marloes Road in the central London borough of Kensington on Saturday afternoon to investigate reports of an armed man entering a bank and a bookmakers. According to a police statement, the man left the scene in a vehicle and was stopped at Palace Gate shortly afterwards.

Police say shots were fired and the man “sustained gunshot wounds” before being pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

Details of the incident are scarce. Online news outlet MyLondon quoted some witnesses as hearing three shots, and others described hearing police ordering the suspect to raise his hands. After the shooting, officers were seen performing CPR on the man.

Video footage from the scene shows a heavy police presence in place around an hour after the incident, which the Metropolitan Police said on Twitter would “remain the case for some time.”

DEVELOPING: 'Three loud bangs' heard in Kensington. Possible shooting near Kensington Palace, London. Awaiting further details. pic.twitter.com/sGgFSQjjqT

— Urban Pictures (@Urban_Pictures) December 11, 2021

The shooting took place a short walk from Kensington Palace, home of Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge. Though police are still making efforts to identify the gunman, the incident is not being treated as terrorism.