How you can help following the 'terror incident' in Streatham

A man was shot dead on Sunday afternoon by police after a series of stabbings in what has been confirmed by authorities as a 'terror-related incident.'

A number of people were stabbed by a man on Streatham High Road in south London, before the man was stopped and killed by armed police that had arrived on the scene.

A statement from the Met Police reads as follows:

At this stage, it is believed a number of people have been stabbed.

The circumstances are being assessed; the incident has been declared as terrorist-related.

We believe there are two injured victims. We await updates on their conditions.

At the time of writing little is known about the incident but social media is already awash with speculation and images of what has happened.

Whenever there is an incident of this nature it can be easy to get carried away and share whatever you see but it is important to remain vigilant in regards to this event to avoid spreading misinformation and fear mongering.

If you do happen to see anything that you deem to be suspicious or of importance to the police, here are a few things to consider that will help the authorities and others understand what has happened.

1. Get your information from official news sources.

Many people will share their thoughts and what they believe has happened in Streatham in the next few hours.

However, if you do feel that you must share it only trust information that has come from official and reliable sources.

Always double check that anything you have read has been reported by the authorities before sharing anything on social media.

2. If you think you have information, send it to the right source.

Only a small amount of information about the incident has not been relayed to the public so far but, if you believe that you have any knowledge, imagery or footage, it's important that it is sent to the right people first and not shared online.

Sharing anything on social media before contacting the authorities can seriously hinder an investigation when your evidence, no matter how small, could be valuable.

Above all please follow the advice of the authorities.

You can also contact the anti-terrorist hotline:

0800 789 321

3. Don't share any graphic content or distressing imagery.

Several videos have already been shared on social media claiming to be from the incident. At this time it is unknown exactly what happened so please refrain from sharing anything that others might find distressing.

It cannot be more strongly stressed that should you see any footage claiming to be from the attack, whether it is graphic or not, that it should not be shared, under any circumstances.

These types of videos can cause an incredible amount of stress to others - especially if family or friends were involved and are also disrespectful to the victims.

If you believe that you have seen any footage of the incidents on social media please contact those respective platforms' moderators.

4. Follow the advice of the authorities.

As the investigation is continuing it is of the utmost importance to follow the instructions of the authorities in London who are encouraging people to remain calm and follow their instructions.

If you do seek further information you can obtain it via the following methods:

https://www.gov.uk/report-terrorism

Twitter: @MetPoliceUK