London Bridge terror attack: Passers-by risked everything to confront knife-wielding fanatic

A tour guide who saw the commotion leapt from his car, ran to the attacker and stamped on his wrist to make him drop a knife.

A tour guide who saw the commotion on London Bridge leapt from his car, ran to the attacker and stamped on his wrist to make him drop the knife he was clutching.

Thomas Gray, 24, said he was “just a Londoner doing his bit” and went to the pub for a pint afterwards “to shake it off”.

READ MORE: Convicted terrorist Usman Khan was wearing an electronic tag | Knifeman shot by police

Mr Gray, who leads tours of London in two classic Mini Coopers, said he did not hesitate before joining those trying to restrain the attacker.

“I saw a guy was being grabbed by four or five other guys and someone was spraying him with foam from a fire extinguisher,” he told The Times.

Thomas Gray. Picture: ITV

“I put the car in neutral, put the handbrake on and went for it. I’ve played rugby my whole life – the rule is one in, all in. My colleague Steve had the same thought and got out of his car. My thoughts were just ‘stop the dude’.”

Mr Gray, from Tulse Hill, South London, said the attacker was clutching an eight-inch kitchen knife in each hand. One was attached to a glove with electrical tape.

“I asked what was going on and they said the guy just stabbed two women back there,” he said. “There were four or five guys on the floor with him. They were the bravest men I’ve ever seen.

“He was just saying, ‘get off me’ but there was no way that was going to happen. I stamped on his hand hard enough to break his wrist, and his grip loosened and he let go of the knife. Someone else kicked the knife away.

A bystander grabs the knife off terrorist Usman Khan.

“Within minutes the police were there and on top of him. I want to say a massive thank you to the police. They showed incredible bravery.

“One guy was on top of him and the officer dragged him off for his own safety. Then the police told us he had a gun. He was writhing on the floor trying to get something from his bag.

“I saw them shoot him three times and then turned and there was a fourth shot out of the corner of my eye and a small thud. I ran back across the bridge and about five seconds later there was a volley of maybe 15 shots.

“I hid behind a school bus and made sure I was out of gunshot. It was a minibus full of primary school kids aged about eight or nine looking out the back window but I don’t think they saw what was happening. It’s not really settled in – I think I’m a bad omen – I was in Borough the night the previous attack happened. My two cars are still stuck on the bridge.”

On Friday (Saturday AEDT) the prime minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, led tributes to the bravery of those who risked their lives to confront the attacker. They said it was a “privilege” to live in a country with such courageous citizens.

Mr Johnson praised “the extraordinary bravery of those members of the public who intervened to protect the lives of others”. He added: “They represent the very best of our country.”

Mr Khan said: “What’s remarkable about the images we’ve seen is the breathtaking heroism of members of the public who literally ran towards danger, not knowing what confronted them.”

Usman Khan.

Archbishop Welby said: “What a privilege to live in a country where casual passers-by are so astonishingly brave.”

On Friday night (Saturday AEDT) it emerged that one of those who rushed to help was a convicted murderer out on day release. James Ford, 42, tried to save the life of a female victim of the attacker, the Daily Mail reported. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 15 years in April 2004 for the murder of 21-year-old Amanda Champion, a young woman with learning difficulties.

Ford, who is serving the final days of his sentence at HMP Standford Hill, an open prison in Kent – had been at Fishmongers’ Hall for the conference on prisoner rehabilitation.

Despite his actions, Ms Champion’s family said he could never be a hero. Her aunt, Angela Cox, 65, said: “He is a murderer out on day release, which us as a family didn’t know anything about. He murdered a disabled girl. He is not a hero, absolutely not.”

The knifeman had fled Fishmongers’ Hall and was heading across London Bridge when his pursuers pounced. As armed police arrived, one of the men who had given chase and managed to wrestle a knife from the attacker was seen carefully holding it at arm’s length.

The man, dressed in a grey suit, white shirt, tie and black coat, was still holding the knife as police shot the attacker while shouting “don’t move, don’t move”.

George Robarts, who was on the bridge, said the man who retrieved the knife had run through traffic and jumped the central partition to tackle the knifeman. He wrote on Twitter: “Looks like he disarmed him. Amazing bravery.”

Police assist an injured man near London Bridge. Picture: AFP

Dave Howell, 51, said: “The police were shouting that there was a bomb and for people to get off the bridge.

“I was driving to a meeting in the City in a cab when a white lorry that was four cars ahead suddenly swung to the right across the central reservation.

“I heard gunshots. People started running back across the bridge so my driver reversed backwards and got the hell out of there.”

Amid the chaos thousands fled the scene, with many running across the bridge towards Borough Market, which was soon evacuated and cordoned off.

Cars, buses and other vehicles were abandoned on the bridge and armed police surrounded the vehicle that had swerved across the central reservation.

Maria Ortega, 45, a Spanish tourist, described how she and others hid in a walk-in freezer at a butcher’s shop fearing for their lives. “There must have been seven or eight of us in there and we were there for about half an hour before we were able to leave,” she said.

With Emma Yeomans, Ben Ellery, Harry Shukman, Tom Ball

The Times