Cordon in Westminster where police said they shot and killed a man who was armed with knives on Sunday, March 8, 2020. (Photo via PA)

British officers have shot and killed a knifeman in central London, Metropolitan Police say.

The officers were patrolling the area about 11.30 pm on Sunday when they noticed the man acting suspiciously.

When confronted by the police, the man pulled out two knives and started waving them around, as a result, the armed officers responded by fatally shooting him.

London Ambulance Service attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene at Great Scotland Yard a short time later.

The force tweeted, A man has been shot dead by officers following an incident in #Westminster at 23.27hrs on Sunday 8 March. This is NOT being treated as a terrorist incident.

No police officers or members of the public were injured, the Met said.

The shooting happened in the Whitehall area of London, which is packed full of sensitive government and official buildings.

Uniformed officers manned cordons at Scotland Place, leading to Great Scotland Yard, and on parts of Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall nearest to Trafalgar Square.

In a statement, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said they were investigating the incident.

Under the law, any shooting by the police has to be independently investigated by the police watchdog, the independent office for police conduct.

It is mandatory for us to conduct an independent investigation when the police fatally shoot a member of the public, the IOPC said.

SOURCE: PRESS TV