UK authorities: 1 dead in attack in southeast London, Cameron calls emergency meeting

Artillery Place road is closed in Woolwich southeast London near the scene where British officials said one person has died and at least two people have been wounded in an attack on Wednesday May 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Ansell/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT (The Associated Press)

LONDON – One person has died and at least two people were wounded in a violent attack near a military training barracks in London, British officials said Wednesday, as Prime Minister David Cameron called an emergency meeting in response.

While details were scant, Cameron called the killing "truly shocking" and said he had asked Home Secretary Theresa May to call an urgent meeting of the government's emergency committee.

Police would not comment immediately on whether the incident appeared to be terror-related.

Scotland Yard said officers responded to reports of the assault Wednesday afternoon in the London neighborhood of Woolwich, just a few blocks from a military training barracks. London Ambulance service said one man was found dead at the scene and two other men were taken to the hospital, with one in serious condition.

Britain's Ministry of Defense said it was urgently investigating reports that a serving soldier was involved in the incident.

Live television images of the scene showed a trail of blood staining a pavement, cordoned off streets and crime scene investigators marking the scene.

David Dixon, head teacher of a nearby primary school, said police told him there was a serious incident. He said he saw body lying in the road outside.

He told the BBC that he then made sure children were inside and put the school into lockdown mode. He said he then heard shots fired.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is called in when officers are involved in shootings, confirmed that it is investigating the incident, which took place near the Royal Artillery Barracks.

The barracks — which house a number of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and independent companies of the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards — were the site of shooting events during the 2012 London Olympics.