Five dead, 40 injured in terror attack in the heart of London

An air ambulance lands on the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. Source: Twitter/@ptr_yeung

Five people are dead, including the attacker, and at least 40 people are injured after a terrorist incident in London.

One of the dead was a veteran police offer who was guarding the Houses of Parliament.

The attacker drove a vehicle across the famous Westminster Bridge, hitting pedestrians, and after the car crashed, he jumped from the vehicle with a knife and stabbed the police officer while trying to fight his way into the grounds of the historic parliament building. 

The police officer who was stabbed died at the scene, despite a lengthy attempt at resuscitation. He has been identified by the Metropolitan Police as Keith Palmer, who was part of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, with 15 years of service in the force.

The attacker was shot dead by police.

Pictures of the attacker being stretchered away from the scene have been published by media outlets but his name has not been confirmed publicly by police, although they have said that they know his identity.

One woman was  pulled alive but injured from the Thames after she either leapt or was knocked over the side of the bridge by the car.

The Met declared the attack a terrorist incident, although the police said they were open-minded on the motive while a full counter-terrorism probe was underway.

Pauline Cranmer, the deputy director of operations at the London Ambulance Service, said the service treated 12 patients at the scene for serious injuries and eight for less serious injuries. “Sadly, three people also died at the scene,” she said.

Political reporters at Westminster described the sounds as the man attempted to enter parliament.

Owen Bennett, the deputy political reporter for Huffington Post, tweeted that he saw the attacker try to fight his way into the historic building.

“I saw people running past the entrance to the New Palace Yard entrance to parliament, and then at least one person try to run into the Yard itself,” he tweeted. “A police officer chased this person and wrestled them to the ground. Shots were then fired but I can’t remember how many and I didn’t see who fired them.”

There is also video footage of what appears to be the dramatic moment police attended the injured in the grounds of parliament.

Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood, who has served in the army, has been hailed as a hero for performing resuscitation on the fallen police officer, after pictures emerged of the Conservative MP with a bloodied face and hands amidst the rescue attempts at the scene. Ellwood’s brother was killed in the Bali terror attack in 2002.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered that the flags over Downing Street, the PM’s traditional resident, be flown at half mast, the BBC reported, as she chairs a meeting of the emergency COBRA group, which brings together MPs with top officials of the intelligence, security and emergency services.

May issued a statement on Facebook condemning the “sick and depraved terrorist attack.”

“These streets of Westminster, home to the world’s oldest parliament, are ingrained with a spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the furthest corners of the globe,” May wrote. “And the values our parliament represents democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law, command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere. That is why it is a target for those who reject those values.”

Queen Elizabeth had been due to open new Scotland Yard offices but her visit has been postponed in light of the heightened security atmosphere.

Have you visited this historic area of London?

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