Police officer stabbed during attack named by Police Scotland
Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has paid tribute to officers including constable David Whyte, who was stabbed during the knife attack.
Livingstone said:
Terrible incidents such as we have seen today are, thankfully, very rare in Scotland. This event has understandably shocked the people of Glasgow, and indeed, the whole country.
“My thoughts and very best wishes are with those who have been injured and their families, including our colleague constable David Whyte who was seriously injured in the course of doing his duty. I offer my personal support to all those affected.
“Officers have once again run into danger to protect their fellow citizens. Their professionalism as police officers was outstanding. I pay tribute to their bravery, selflessness and commitment to protecting the public.
“I briefed the First Minister and the Prime Minister earlier today on the circumstances and advised them both that we are not treating the attack as a terrorist incident.
“It is essential enquiries are now carried out to establish the full circumstances and all speculation must be avoided.”
Mears Group issues statement on attack
Mears Group, an asylum accommodation contractor used by the Home Office, said:
Mears Group is deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic events in the heart of Glasgow today.
We are contracted by the Home Office to provide housing and support services to asylum seekers in Scotland.
We will not anticipate a live police investigation, but we can confirm that the attack happened in a hotel where we are housing asylum seekers during the lockdown period.
We will provide more details as we are able to and our priority is to look after the welfare of our service users who will no doubt be traumatised by this terrible event. Tonight, we also think of the staff in the hotel and our colleagues at the scene – all are in our thoughts.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service said they were at the scene of the incident within five minutes.
Scottish Ambulance
(@Scotambservice)We received a call today to attend a major incident in Glasgow.
Our first resource arrived within five minutes and we transported six patients to hospital.
Our thoughts are with those in hospital and their families and emergency service staff who attended this tragic incident.
Updated
At just after 1pm on Friday, the streets of Glasgow city centre – until then quiet as many of Scotland’s lockdown restrictions remain in force – were flooded with emergency vehicles.
Eyewitness footage shows up to a dozen police cars and vans and two ambulances flocking around the Park Inn hotel on West George Street. Spilling out of them were armed police officers, others carrying riot shields and paramedics in full PPE.
Tom Flanagan Karttunen, of the Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic event that happened today on West George Street in Glasgow.
“During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the hotel has been occupied for temporary housing.”
He added: “We are working with the hotel owner and all the relevant local authorities, including Police Scotland, to support the investigation.”
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, has posted this message of solidarity on Twitter.
Nicola Sturgeon
(@NicolaSturgeon)The toughest of days for Glasgow. My thoughts and best wishes are with those injured, and my deep gratitude goes to our emergency services, especially @policescotland. I’m proud to call this city home and I know the strength and humanity of its people will always see it through. pic.twitter.com/N9lHz7xtIa
Updated
Mears Group, an asylum accommodation contractor, is believed to have been employed by the Home Office to relocate around 400 asylum seekers in Glasgow during the pandemic, according to The Daily Telegraph.
They were re-homed across six hotels in the city, including at the Park Inn hotel where the attacks happened.
Updated
