Terrorism is being examined as a potential motive for a knife rampage in central London that left one woman dead and five others injured.
Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer Commander Mark Rowley said while mental health may have been a "significant factor" in the attack, terrorism was "one line of inquiry that we should explore".
Police were called to reports of an armed man attacking people in Russell Square at 10.33pm on Wednesday.
A woman in her 60s was killed and five other people injured in a knife attack in central London.
A 19-year-old was arrested six minutes later at 10.39pm after a Taser was fired by one of the officers.
He is now under police guard in hospital.
Officers attending the incident found up to six people injured.
An unnamed woman was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later.
The other victims - a woman and four men - are said to have suffered "various injuries". Their condition is not known.
Extra police were drafted in following the rampage
As a precautionary measure Commander Rowley said extra police would be deployed in London on Thursday to provide reassurance and urged members of the public to be "calm, vigilant and alert".
He said it would be "inappropriate at this time" to give any more personal details about the dead woman.
Motorist Paul Hutchinson, who drove past Russell Square an hour after the attack, told Sky News: "The area was taped off and there were loads of armed police and lots of cars, and a couple of ambulances.
One side of Russell Square was closed after the attack
"The traffic was slow but moving. Only one part of the square was closed, the side with hotels and businesses."
One witness, Helen Edwards, wrote on Twitter: "#Police guarding cordon around #russellsquare #bedfordplace #southamptonrow Saw armed police & paramedics earlier."
Another witness, Abdulrahman Muammar, tweeted: "#London Russell Square locked down & surrounded with police officers."
Russell Square is close to the British Museum in Bloomsbury
The attack came on the day the Met announced it was to increase the number of armed patrols in London as part of anti-terrorism plans.
On Sunday Metropolitan Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe warned a terror attack in the UK was a case of "when, not if".
Counter-terror police are also probing the attempted abduction of a serviceman at knifepoint from a road near RAF Marham in Norfolk on 20 July.
Anyone with information about the Russell Square rampage is asked to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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