London Bridge terror attack: Chilling footage shows moment unarmed police confronted attackers

Chilling new footage has shown the moment unarmed police officers confronted the three London Bridge attackers.

The video shows officers and members of the public coming face-to-face with Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane, and Youssef Zaghba, during the attack that killed eight people and injured 48.

Filmed by member of the public Paul Clarke and obtained by the BBC, the video was shown at both the inquest into the victims' deaths and the inquest into the attackers' deaths.

The inquest into the terrorists' deaths today concluded they were lawfully killed by police after "ignoring clear warning shouts" during the attack on June 3.

During the inquest, three officers told jurors how they risked their lives to stop the terrorists from continuing their murderous rampage.

Police constables Sam Balfour, Bartek Tchorzewski and Ian Rae were among the officers who stopped the attackers, who were armed with ceramic knives and wore dummy suicide belts as they tore through Borough Market.

Police had no idea the belts were fake when they stepped in to stop the three men.

Pc Rae, 51, said he took a "split second decision" to tackle Redouane, thinking only of preventing a potential bomb detonation.

Speaking at the conclusion of the London Bridge inquest on Tuesday, he described how he went to handcuff Redouane despite the risk to his own safety.

"His arms and legs were moving and I knew he had an IED (improvised explosive device) strapped to him. I did not know they were fake,” he said.

“I had to make a split-second decision - if I don't go and do something there is going to be a lot more lives lost.”

The 51-year-old officer, who was also called to help in the aftermath of the 7/7 Tube and bus London bombing in 2005, said his only thought was to save others.

"To be quite honest I felt that I needed to do something," he said.

"I did not have time to think about the risk involved. I just went and did what I thought was the best thing for everyone."

Unarmed officers Pc Balfour, 25, and Pc Tchorzewski, 36, also feared for their lives, but were equally focused on stopping more bloodshed.

"We were just thinking about stopping them. Assume the worst and you try to think what you may encounter and what we will do,” said Pc Tchorzewski.

"But to be honest nothing can prepare you for that. No briefings."

Pc Balfour told the Old Bailey: "I was quite aware walking down they could spring out at us at any second."

When armed police arrived on the scene, Pc Balfour feared he was in the line of fire and might get shot himself.

He said: "We started to shout, 'That's them, that's them', pointing out those terrorists, 'Shoot them'."

An armed officer identified only as BX46 told jurors he was in immediate danger as Butt came towards him, saying: "I believe his intention was to use the knife and stab me, kill me and get hold of my weapons.

"At this point I was aware that around his torso he was wearing an improvised explosive device.

"I already knew he had a knife and he was a threat to my life but now he was an even bigger threat, even with one or two metres a detonation would be fatal to colleagues, members of the public, anyone in the location.

"So I aimed my rifle towards the male and I was moving back quickly and I moved the fire selector lever to fire and I pulled the trigger."

Pc Rae said the reality of the night’s horrors only hit him once he was on his way to hospital to help one of the injured victims.

"It was only at that point I thought how serious this was. How frightened I felt. I had not had time to sit back and think. I felt I was lucky as other people are not lucky," he said.

Pc Rae was awarded the Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service but said he would give it back if just one more person could have been saved.