Eight people, the four who were hurt among them, are held on suspicion of attempted murder after Thursday's Bromley High Street stabbing. What police have said.
Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after four people were stabbed on Bromley High Street on Thursday afternoon.
The four who were hurt are a 21-year-old man and three boys aged between 14 and 17. All four are among those arrested. Four other boys aged between 14 and 17 were also arrested, and all eight remain in custody (London Now; BBC News).
The man was in a critical condition on Thursday. On Friday the Met said his injuries are no longer thought to be life-threatening. Detectives are treating the stabbing as an isolated incident.
The Metropolitan Police has not published these statements on its own news site. We quote them as the force issued them to the media, carried word for word by more than one outlet, and we have taken nothing else from those reports.
What the police said on Thursday
The Met’s first statement, issued on Thursday, read:
“At around 14:15hrs on Thursday, 10 September, officers were called to reports of an altercation on Bromley High Street. Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance and found four men with stab wounds. Three of them were taken to hospital where they are receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. One is in critical condition. Seven men were arrested and they all remain in custody. Police enquiries continue and there is not believed to be any wider threat to the public.”
That statement was carried in full by LBC and London Now.
What changed on Friday
Some of Thursday’s details were revised a day later. The injured were not all men, and there was an eighth arrest.
| Thursday 10 September | Friday 11 September | |
|---|---|---|
| Who was hurt | Four men | A man of 21 and three boys aged 14 to 17 |
| Most serious injury | One man in a critical condition | His injuries no longer thought to be life-threatening |
| Arrests | Seven men | Eight, on suspicion of attempted murder |
| Who was arrested | Not stated | The four injured, plus four other boys aged 14 to 17 |
Chief Inspector David Cooper, who leads policing in the area, said on Friday:
“We recognise the impact this incident will have on the local community, and officers are working quickly to establish the full circumstances. There will be an increased police presence in the area, and we encourage anyone with information or concerns to speak to officers.”
His statement was carried by London Now. The BBC reported the same points from the Met.
An arrest is not a charge. No one has been charged, and the Met has named no one.
The emergency response
London Ambulance Service said it was called at 2.19pm. Its statement, carried by LBC and KentOnline, said it sent:
- ambulance crews
- a paramedic in a fast response car
- an incident response officer
- an advanced paramedic
- London’s Air Ambulance
“We treated four patients at the scene and took them all to hospital,” the service said.
KFC said the incident began in its High Street restaurant. A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a serious incident took place this afternoon in our Bromley High Street restaurant. We are working with the police on their ongoing investigation. Our priority is supporting our team members and customers at this difficult time” (KentOnline).
What the crime figures say about the town centre
Police.uk publishes every recorded crime by month, with each one placed at an approximate point on a nearby street. We pulled the figures for an area of about 720 by 380 metres around the High Street, from Market Square down to Bromley South (data.police.uk).
In the 12 months to July 2026, the latest month published:
- 248 violence and sexual offences were recorded in that area, between 8 and 32 a month
- 12 of them were placed on or near the High Street itself
- 8 offences of possessing a weapon were recorded in the area
- 62 robberies were recorded in the area
The violence category covers everything from common assault to the most serious attacks. Police.uk does not break out knife crime separately. The September figures, which will include Thursday’s stabbing, have not been published yet.
What it means for you
- The Met says there is not believed to be any wider threat to the public.
- Expect more officers around the town centre in the coming days.
- If you saw what happened or have footage, call police on 101 quoting CAD 4008/10SEP. You can also tell Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The reference and numbers are from the appeal as the force issued it (KentOnline).
- Seven of the eight people arrested are children, and none has been charged. Sharing names, photos or guesses about who was involved can harm a future court case. Give what you know to the police instead.
We will update this page when the Met announces charges, releases or anything else.
Sources
- Metropolitan Police statement of 10 September, as carried by LBC and London Now
- Metropolitan Police update of 11 September, as carried by London Now and reported by BBC News
- London Ambulance Service and KFC statements, as carried by KentOnline
- Recorded crime: data.police.uk, August 2025 to July 2026
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