A man has been shot by police in southeast London after allegedly threatening officers with a "large bladed weapon".
Police had been called to reports of man attempting to break into a car at around 5.40am on Sunday in Elsinore Road, Forest Hill.
Officers were sent to the scene but were threatened with the "large bladed weapon" when they attempted to approach the man.
They pulled back and called for firearms units, who were approached and threatened with the weapon by the man in nearby Stanstead Road.
A statement issued by the Metropolitan Police (MPS) said: "Firearms officers attended the scene, and both Taser and firearms were deployed.
"Subsequently the male received gunshot wounds having been shot by police."
They added that the man was in a critical but stable condition in south London hospital.
An investigation has been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission , (IPCC) as is standard in all police shootings.
An IPCC spokesman said the man, in his early 20s, originally from Ghana but now from Forest Hill, was being treated at Kings College Hospital.
"The IPCC have deployed its on-call team and has decided this incident should be investigated independently," the spokesman said.
IPCC commissioner Mike Franklin added: "This young man is receiving medical attention and his condition is described as critical.
"His family have been informed and have been taken to the hospital by the police so that they can be close to him."
It comes after the police shooting of Mark Duggan last August sparked riots in Tottenham, which spread to other areas of London and cities across England.
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