Gunman Killed In Central Glasgow After Stabbing Six People

Just six days after three people were killed and three others were wounded in a park in the English city of Reading by a 25-year-old Libyan, a new violent attack shocked the UK yesterday. 

Other six people were stabbed in Glasgow, including a police officer is in critical condition. The attack took place this Friday minutes before one in the local time, at the Park Inn hotel, in a major commercial area in the city center, where police officers shot and killed the alleged assailant.

Corps assistant chief Steve Johnson explained in a statement that the first officers showed up at the scene "just two minutes after" receiving the emergency call, adding that "a man was shot by the armed police and died. Six other men, aged 17 to 53, are in the hospital, including a 42-year-old police officer who is in critical but stable condition. "

 A witness told Sky News that two of those stabbed are receptionists at the hotel, and Johnson explained that, for the moment, the attack is not being treated "as related to terrorism," which was confirmed by the chief minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, who said in a statement that:

 "while such a serious event is rare in Scotland, it is a reminder of the courage and professionalism of our police officers, who are willing to rush into danger to protect the lives of others."

Sturgeon took the opportunity to ask the population to avoid "speculation" about what happened and not to share "potentially harmful or annoying material on social networks." In the same vein, Scottish Attorney General Humza Yousaf said, asking people not to circulate "rumors about the incident in Glasgow" as the police "will share the information publicly" when deemed necessary. 

Sturgeon held a meeting to discuss what happened with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who in a tweet on his Twitter account, was "deeply sad" and said:

"My thoughts go out to all the victims and their families. In addition, he once again thanked our brave emergency services."

The hotel where the attack took place has been, according to the British press, one of those used to house asylum seekers during the coronavirus pandemic, information that Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit party, used to ignite the controversy with a Tweet:

“Horrible tragedy in a Glasgow hotel that houses illegal immigrants. Across the UK, hotels are filling up with young men crossing the Channel every day. It is a huge risk to our well-being, but the government does nothing. Anas Sarwar, MP for the Scottish Labor Party, responded by asking her not to use "a tragedy in our city to spread her fear and hatred."

Susan Aitken, head of the Glasgow council, told Reporting Scotland that she urges everyone "not to politicize this, not to use this to divide the city," after being asked whether she considers the city to be "a barrel of gunpowder and that this attack could lead to more problems, since earlier this month there were clashes in the city when some followers of the extreme right attended a demonstration in support of the refugees. 

“There has been a lot of speculation this afternoon that it was not helpful and that it does not help. It is not fair to the victims, it is not fair to the families of the victims and it does not help the city."

he said, adding that" Glasgow needs to unite, we need to support each other and support our communities. Division is the last thing we need.

Tensions in the city have been increasing, between those who on the one hand do not want refugees to be housed in hotels and those who demand better conditions for them.