A little excitement

On my way back from the funeral yesterday, I was stopped by yellow tape and a rank of police cars and officers as I tried to continue along Blackfriar's Road from the bridge. The side streets were barricaded as well, all the way down to The Cut. There had been, I was told, "an incident." Here's what it was:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5979069/Policeman-injured-as-gunman-opens-fire-near-Waterloo-station.html

Policeman injured as gunman opens fire near Waterloo station
A policeman was shot in the leg as he dived for cover when a fleeing gunman opened fire at him outside a busy London railway station.

By Stephen Adams and Richard Edwards
Published: 7:00AM BST 06 Aug 2009

The officer suffered a grazing wound to his leg caused by a bullet. Another officer was taken to hospital suffering from shock after the incident near Waterloo station in central London.

A manhunt was underway last night after the suspect escaped and members of the public were warned not to approach the gunman.

It is understood the patrolling officers had seen a suspected wanted man on a bicycle and chased him when he refused to stop.

The suspect then produced a gun from inside his clothing and fired at least one shot at the pursuing officers.

Eyewitnesses who had been having lunch in a restaurant described seeing the suspect run past them before turning and shooting twice at the officers.

They ducked for cover as one officer called: "Shots fired, shots fired."

Jill Cartwright, 35, a yoga teacher from Putney, south west London, was eating with four friends at the Thai Silk restaurant in Isabella Street when the man came past followed by two officers.
She said: "We saw the man run past followed by two policemen and we were laughing at it, singing the theme to The Bill.

"He didn't even look to be running very fast, but then he turned around and he fired.

"He was running as he turned and shot.

"It didn't sound like a real gun, it sounded something like a starter gun, but it shocked us."

Several streets were closed and office workers were told to remain indoors and stay away from windows as police began to hunt for the man.

Acting Chief Inspector Malcolm Noone said: "At about 3pm officers from Kennington police station stopped to speak to a male on a pedal cycle on Coin Street, Southwark.

"As the officers approached this male, he dumped the pedal cycle and ran off into Blackfriars Street.

"As the officers ran into Blackfriars Street they were fired upon and the man ran off."

He said two officers had been taken to hospital, one with suspected minor injuries, which may have been a result of his diving out of the way of the shots.

Mr Noone added: "There is an ongoing investigation into the full circumstances and to locate this individual."

Witnesses described the suspect as a white man with sandy-coloured, cropped hair. He was about 5ft 7in, wearing an open-fronted, grey hoodie, with pale-blue jeans.