Four men were taken to hospital after being stabbed in central London on Wednesday afternoon in what police believe was a mental health-related incident, prompting a swift emergency response near one of the capital’s busiest tourist areas.

The Metropolitan Police said officers arrested a woman in her 40s at the scene on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. She remained in police custody as detectives continued their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Authorities said they are not currently treating the incident as terrorism and believe there is no wider threat to the public.

The stabbings occurred on Endell Street, a road located just a short walk from Covent Garden, one of London’s best-known entertainment and shopping districts. The area attracts thousands of visitors each day with its theatres, restaurants, markets and street performers.

Emergency services were called to the scene after reports that multiple people had been injured.

Police officers, ambulance crews and other emergency responders quickly arrived in the area, where they found four men suffering from stab wounds.

According to the London Ambulance Service, the victims were aged 34, 39, 42 and 52.

All four received emergency medical treatment at the scene before being transported to a nearby major trauma centre for further care.

Authorities have not publicly released details about the severity of each man’s injuries.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers recovered a pair of scissors at the location.

“Officers seized a pair of scissors at the scene,” the force said in a statement.

Investigators have not disclosed whether they believe the scissors were used during the incident, although they form part of the ongoing investigation.

The suspect was detained shortly after officers arrived.

Police said the woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

She remained in custody while detectives carried out interviews and gathered evidence from witnesses and forensic examinations at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police said initial inquiries suggested the attack was linked to mental health issues.

Investigators said they believed the incident to be “mental health related,” although no further details regarding the woman’s condition or background were immediately released.

Police have not identified either the suspect or the victims.

Officers also have not publicly commented on whether the victims were known to the suspect or whether they were selected at random.

Detectives are continuing to examine witness accounts, CCTV footage and other evidence to establish exactly what occurred.

The attack caused significant disruption in the surrounding area as emergency vehicles blocked sections of the road while police secured the scene.

Pedestrians were diverted away from the affected area as forensic officers began examining evidence.

Businesses near Endell Street also experienced temporary disruption while emergency services carried out their work.

Although located close to Covent Garden, the incident happened on a street slightly removed from the district’s busiest pedestrian areas.

Covent Garden is among London’s most visited destinations, attracting both domestic and international tourists throughout the year.

Its central location places it close to London’s West End theatres, shopping streets and numerous restaurants and hotels.

News of the incident quickly spread on social media, with photographs showing police cordons and emergency vehicles lining the street.

Some witnesses described seeing ambulance crews treating injured individuals before they were placed into ambulances and taken to hospital.

Police have not confirmed how long the incident lasted before officers brought it under control.

The London Ambulance Service said multiple emergency resources were dispatched after receiving reports of the stabbings.

Paramedics provided immediate treatment to the four injured men before deciding they required specialist trauma care.

Major trauma centres are equipped to deal with serious injuries including stab wounds and other life-threatening emergencies.

Hospital officials have not released updates regarding the victims’ conditions.

The investigation remains in its early stages, and police are expected to continue interviewing witnesses over the coming days.

Officers are also reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and public cameras in an effort to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Given the location near one of London’s busiest commercial districts, investigators are likely to have access to multiple CCTV systems covering the surrounding streets.

Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident or captured relevant footage to come forward.

Authorities have not yet announced whether additional charges may be considered beyond the initial allegations of assault and possession of an offensive weapon.

Those decisions will depend on the outcome of the investigation and the medical assessments of the injured men.

The Metropolitan Police emphasized that officers responded rapidly to the reports and secured the suspect without any indication of continuing danger to members of the public.

Officials also sought to reassure residents, workers and visitors that the incident appeared to be isolated.

The force has not indicated that it is searching for any additional suspects.

In recent years, police across the United Kingdom have increasingly highlighted the complex relationship between mental health crises and emergency policing.

Officers frequently work alongside healthcare services when responding to incidents involving individuals believed to be experiencing mental health difficulties.

However, police have stressed that investigations continue independently of any possible medical issues and that all criminal allegations are assessed based on available evidence.

In this case, detectives have not provided details explaining why they believe the incident was connected to mental health.

No formal medical findings or diagnoses have been announced, and investigators have not released information about whether the woman had previous contact with health or law enforcement agencies.

The investigation is expected to determine what led to the attack, whether the victims were specifically targeted, and the precise sequence of events that unfolded on Endell Street.

For now, police continue to gather evidence while the injured men receive treatment in hospital.

The incident serves as another reminder of the challenges faced by emergency responders in central London, where large numbers of residents, commuters and tourists move through busy streets every day.

Although serious violent incidents remain relatively uncommon in areas such as Covent Garden, any attack involving multiple victims inevitably draws significant public attention because of the location’s popularity and high pedestrian traffic.

Authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation while detectives continue their inquiries.

Further updates are expected once investigators have completed additional interviews, reviewed forensic evidence recovered at the scene and assessed the medical condition of those injured.

Until then, the woman arrested following the incident remains in police custody, while detectives work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the stabbing attack that left four men injured in the heart of central London.