Girl, 8, Killed and Motorist Arrested After Car Collides With London Prep School

Metropolitan Police say incident in Wimbledon not act of terrorism

A Land Rover Defender is seen inside the grounds of The Study Preparatory School in Camp Road, Wimbledon, where it has collided with a primary school building, in England on July 6, 2023. Victoria Jones/PA

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after an 8-year-old girl was killed when a Land Rover crashed into a prep school in Wimbledon, southwest London.

Chief paramedic John Martin, from the London Ambulance Service, said 16 children and adults were treated at the scene and 10 were taken to hospital after the incident at The Study Preparatory School.

Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland was on the verge of tears when she announced the age of the dead girl at a press conference on Thursday.

“Our thoughts are with her family at this incredibly difficult time,” added Ms. Kelland.

The Metropolitan Police said the incident was not related to terrorism.

Earlier the local Conservative MP, Stephen Hammond, said, “There are a number of people who are critically injured as I understand it and given the scale of the response from emergency services … this is a very serious incident.”

Just before 10 a.m. on Thursday, the vehicle crashed into The Study preparatory school in Wimbledon, not far from the home of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, where the world’s best players are battling it out for the championship.

Aerial shots of the incident shown on TV suggest the gold and black Land Rover may have crashed through a fence and driven across a play area before coming to a halt when it hit the building.

It is not clear if the injured children were in the play area at the time.

Scenes in Wimbledon, south London, where a car collided with a primary school building on July 6, 2023. Victoria Jones/PA

The driver of the car, a woman in her 40s, was arrested at the scene.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said, “We can now confirm that sadly a child has died following an incident where a car collided with a building at a school in Wimbledon.”

Woman Held on Suspicion of Dangerous Driving

“We can also confirm that the driver of the vehicle, a woman aged in her 40s, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. There have been further injuries and we await an update from the London Ambulance Service,” the Met added.

Dozens of police officers, paramedics, and firefighters rushed to the scene, including London’s Air Ambulance.

The school—which caters for girls aged between 4 and 11—is close to Wimbledon Common.

Local resident Julie Atwood said: “My daughter used to go to this school ... Wimbledon is like a little village. For this to happen in Wimbledon is unheard of. It’s terrible.”

Mr. Hammond later told GB News: “It’s a well-respected local school. It’s a great sadness for the local community.”

PA Media contributed to this report.