The police and rescue workers rushed to Parliament on Wednesday after an assailant stabbed one police officer before being shot and killed by another. Emergency personnel also responded to nearby Westminster Bridge, where a vehicle had struck several people. The authorities described the events as a “terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” Inside the Palace of Westminster, the House of Commons suspended debate and the building was placed on lockdown.
What We Know
• The police said officers had been summoned to the bridge around 2:40 p.m. after reports of “a firearms incident,” and witnesses reported gunfire near an office building for lawmakers and members of their staff.
• A woman who was run over on the bridge has died.
An assailant stabbed one person near the entrance to Parliament, and then was killed by the police.
• The Metropolitan Police said it was treating the violence as “a terrorist incident.”
• The BBC reported that 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, and the Westminster station of London’s subway system was closed.
What We Don’t Know
• How many people were involved in the attack, or the identity of the attacker or attackers.
• How many people were killed and wounded in the attack.
• Who was stabbed inside the gates of Parliament and whether that person has died.
