BBC reporter Catriona Renton is on the scene and tweeted: ‘Understood three dead in a stairwell of hotel. Had been stabbed. Police shot suspect’ with the corporation reporting the male knifeman was shot dead. Footage from the scene showed armed units running down the road and witnesses saw ‘bloodied’ people being taken from the Park Inn hotel on stretchers. The hotel is believed top have been used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers during the coronavirus crisis.

One man, Shaun, who was staying inside the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow says he saw a man enter the reception area and stab two people. His mother was also staying inside and he called her to stay in the room. Police Scotland have not said what has happened other than that the ‘situation is contained – there is no danger to the public’ – the Scottish Police Federation has confirmed that one of their officers was stabbed.

Witness Craig Milroy, who saw the aftermath of the incident from an office building nearby, said he had seen four people taken away in ambulances. He told the PA news agency: ‘I saw a man lying on the ground, of African descent, with no shoes on. He was on the ground with someone holding his side – I don’t know if it was a bullet wound, a stab wound, or what it was.’

Mr Milroy said the man was one of the four taken away by medics and believed him to be a victim of an attack. He added: ‘After that we saw commotion, ambulances further up and we saw armed police all running into the hotel next to the Society Room. ‘We were still standing outside, after that the police all came down, the riot police and triage team told us to go back in and lock the door.’