An investigation is underway in Barnet, north London after 11 firearms officers were injured by “a suspected corrosive substance” as they executed a drugs warrant, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Though the extent of their injuries is still being assessed in hospital, none is thought to be life-threatening.
The circumstances of the attack are currently being investigated, and police have arrested a number of male suspects at the scene for drug offenses. Those arrested have also been transported to the hospital, and are believed to have also sustained non-life-threatening injuries from the “corrosive substance.”
Drug raid. Multiple gun shots and acid attack in #Barnet. pic.twitter.com/hptg5rpmwl
A number of officers have been injured by a suspected corrosive substance whilst executing a drugs warrant in Dale Close #BarnetWe await an assessment on injuries but not believed to be life-threatening.@Ldn_Ambulance and @LondonFire are in attendancehttps://t.co/2IRcTbEIjN
Chief Superintendent Roy Smith, head of the BCU (Basic Command Unit) for Harrow, Brent and Barnet, released a statement saying there is no threat to the public, but that officers will remain on patrol in the area of the raid.
“I’d like to reassure the local community that there is no ongoing risk to the public and local officers will remain on patrol in the area to provide reassurance,” he said.
London Ambulance Service posted on Twitter that a total of 15 people were taken to hospital. They also said a hazardous area response team has been dispatched to the area. Police say the incident is not being treated as “terror-related.”
We dispatched a number of resources to this incident in #Barnet – including several ambulance crews, two incident response officers, an advanced paramedic and our hazardous area response team (@LAS_HART). We assessed fifteen people at the scene and took them all to hospital. https://t.co/922MDH8Ikc
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