Updated 4:10 a.m. ET
A van drove into pedestrians early Monday morning in north London, police say, in what they are investigating as a terrorist attack.
"One man was pronounced dead at the scene," the Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement. "Eight people injured were taken to three separate hospitals; two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries."
The U.K. police service said officers were called at 12:20 a.m. local time (7:20 p.m. Sunday ET) to the scene on Seven Sisters Road in the Finsbury Park neighborhood, home to many immigrants.
Police are on the scene and are dealing with a major incident in Seven Sisters Road https://t.co/eYPjbVvlZG pic.twitter.com/BzVdQUNfw8
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 19, 2017
"The driver of the van — a man aged 48 — was found detained by members of the public at the scene," according to the police report. He was taken to a hospital as a precaution, where he'll receive a mental health assessment, according to the statement.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said the people at the scene "worked with officers to calmly and quickly get him into our custody. Their restraint in the circumstances was commendable."
Police have not yet determined whether the fatality was a result of the van attack.
"The attack unfolded whilst a man was receiving first aid from the public at the scene," Basu said. "Sadly, he has died.
"It is too early to state if his death was as a result of the attack."
According to multiple reports and social media posts, the van ran over people leaving the Finsbury Park Mosque.
"We have been informed that a van has run over worshipers as they left #FinsburyPark Mosque," the Muslim Council of Britain said on Twitter. "Our prayers are with the victims."
Our thoughts and prayers with those who got injured and effected by this cowardly attack in Finsbury Park area, many casualties in the floor
— Mohammed Kozbar (@KozbarM) June 19, 2017
According to the council in a follow-up tweet, the van struck the victims closer to the Muslim Welfare House.
The mosques were busy with people observing the holy month of Ramadan.
Finsbury Park Mosque Chairman Mohammed Kozbar tweeted his condolences for the "cowardly attack."
Early this month, in what police called a terror attack, three Muslim extremists in a van veered into pedestrians on London Bridge, before attacking people with knives in the nearby Borough Market. Eight people were killed and dozens were wounded before police fatally shot the three attackers.
This is a breaking news story. Some things reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.
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