Policeman stabbed, assailant shot and several injured in UK parliament shooting- Update

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Police outside the Palace of Westminster, London (Photo: PA)
Police outside the Palace of Westminster, London (Photo: PA)

A policeman was stabbed inside the perimeter of Britain’s parliament building on Wednesday, an assailant was shot outside and several people lay bleeding on a nearby bridge, Reuters witnesses and officials said.

A Reuters photographer saw at least a dozen people injured on Westminster Bridge and photographs showed people lying on the ground, bleeding heavily. The number of casualties was unclear.

The House of Commons, which was in session at the time, was immediately suspended and lawmakers were asked to stay inside.

Prime Minister Theresa May was safe after the incident, a spokesman for her office said. He declined to say where May was when the attack took place.

A man lies injured after a shooting incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville
A man lies injured after a shooting incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville

The leader of the House, David Lidington, said in the chamber that an assailant who stabbed a policeman had been shot by police.

Amid confusing scenes, it appeared the incident may have unfolded in several locations, including the busy bridge where tourists often congregate to take pictures of Big Ben and other attractions.

The incident took place on the first anniversary of attacks on Brussels in Belgium.

Reuters reporters inside parliament said a large number of armed police, some carrying shields, were pouring into the building.

Britain is on its second-highest level of “severe” meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.

In May 2013, two British Islamists stabbed to death soldier Lee Rigby on a street in southeast London.

In July 2005, four British Islamists killed 52 commuters and themselves in suicide bombings on the British capital’s transport system in what was London’s worst peacetime attack.

Monmouthshire MP David Davies tweeted that he had come under fire.

Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens said she had been told a police officer had been stabbed and the assailant shot.


Scotland Yard said it was called to a firearms incident on Westminster Bridge amid reports of several people injured.

Transport for London said Westminster underground station has been shut at the police’s request.

Conservative MP Grant Shapps said the police response had been instant.

Reuters/Whalesonline

Update

The suspected attacker is treated by emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
The suspected attacker is treated by emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

 

What We Know and Don’t Know

• Four people were killed, including an attacker and a police officer, and 20 were wounded in a terror attack in London on Wednesday, the head of London’s Metropolitan Police counterterrorism unit said.

• The driver of a large vehicle mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, which leads to Parliament, around 2:40 p.m. After the crash, at least one man left the vehicle and approached Parliament, where he fatally stabbed a police officer. The police then fatally shot the attacker.

• Parliament was locked down and a search was conducted for any other assailants in the area. The police said they believed there was only one attacker.

• A woman who was run over on the bridge died, and the Port of London Authority said another woman was pulled from the River Thames with severe injuries.

• Others injured on the bridge included three police officers and several French high school students.

• The police said officers had been summoned to the bridge after reports of “a firearms incident,” and witnesses reported gunfire near an office building for lawmakers and their staffs.

• The police said a “full counterterrorism investigation was underway.”

• Prime Minister Theresa May was taken from the scene in a silver Jaguar as the gunfire erupted.

• One of the busiest sections of London was cordoned off and evacuated, the Westminster station of London’s subway system was closed, and additional police officers have been stationed across the capital.

What We Don’t Know

• If there was more than one assailant involved in the attack, or the identity of the attacker or attackers.

• How many people were killed and wounded in the attack, although the police said that officers were among the casualties and the London Ambulance Service said it had treated 10 people on the bridge.

NY Times

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8 responses to “Policeman stabbed, assailant shot and several injured in UK parliament shooting- Update”

  1. Niemals Avatar

    @ Hannibal – Will you be still referring to the US, that if you murder ANYONE “you’d be jailed.”? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e6fcc1909aa8d4ae6951240ae9f2ab5d573026d99d05b7805f7f0d37aca34323.jpg You see in Europe we do things differently, we relegates them to the ‘paradise’ with their 72 virgins, or as they prefer to call themselves ‘martyrs’……
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1539e4d38a7ea52215cb84fe5c7fc87ed1485aeb8b55c82ff3735f29f5e161d4.jpg Einsatzkräfte nach dem Terroranschlag in London
    Quelle: dpa/PA Wire

    Perhaps now is the time that the UK copy the german decision to deport islamists to their countries of origin, even if those was born in the UK.

    You must be living in the USA, since it takes some time for you to respond……

    Am I to harsh now against islamists?

    1. man-o-war Avatar
      man-o-war

      Did you hear about the white nationalist racist that went to NYC to kill black people? Only killed one and he was a white man, so most likely just a mental illness left untreated.

      1. Niemals Avatar

        Did you dream about it? 😉

        By now you must had heard that the extremist “Islamic State” group (IS) said via its news agency Aamaq that the attacker who rammed pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and stabbed a police officer outside parliament on Wednesday was one of its “soldiers.”, or as you say – “so most likely just a mental illness left untreated.”

        “The suspect of a deadly attack outside the UK parliament in London was British-born, Prime Minister Theresa May has said, as police arrested eight people after several overnight raids across the country.” (Al-Jazeera)

        1. man-o-war Avatar
          man-o-war

          http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/suspect-midtown-knife-killing-surrenders-cops-article-1.3005263

          Yes, I heard about Btru2u’s peeps taking credit , they will be sad when they find out they’re reward is 72 bearded stinky Virginians.

          Soldiers? More like cowardly Islamic extremist doing what they do best. Attacking defenseless innocent civilians. I hope daesh gets crushed soon.

          1. Niemals Avatar

            Lets hope that Daesh gets crushed soon.

          2. French Defense
            Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday, March 24 that the battle for
            the liberation of the Syrian city of Rakka from the militants of the
            “Islamic state” will begin in the coming days

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