Yesterday at 14.40 GMT a single attacker drove a car over Westminster
Bridge, near the Houses of Parliament in central London, killing at least two
pedestrians and injuring many more.The car then crashed into railings outside
the Houses of Parliament.
The attacker, armed with a knife, ran to Parliament where he
was confronted by the police. One officer - who was not armed - was stabbed and
killed.
The attacker was shot dead by armed officers. Witnesses have
described pandemonium and panic.
One, Richard Tice, said he was coming out of Westminster
tube station at about 14:45 and was ushered by police onto Westminster Bridge.
He saw people lying on the bridge being tended to. He was
told that a car had mounted the pavement and driven the whole way, from south
to north, across the bridge, knocking people over.
"I counted eight people the length of the bridge, from
south to north - at least eight."
Who were the victims?
So far, only the police officer who died has been named. He
was PC Keith Palmer, 48, of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection
Command. He had 15 years' service and was a husband and a father.
One woman in her mid-40s was killed after being hit by the
attacker's car before it reached Parliament. She was confirmed dead by a doctor
at St Thomas' Hospital.
Police said a man in his mid-50s had also died and seven
people were still in a critical condition. A further 29 have been treated in
hospital.
The injured included three police officers who were walking
across the bridge on their way back from a commendation ceremony. Two are
described as being in a serious condition.
A woman was given urgent medical treatment after falling
into the River Thames as the attacker's car drove onto the pavement.
Police said a "range of nationalities" were among
the injured.
A group of French schoolchildren were on the bridge and
three were injured in the incident.
Four university students from Edge Hill University, in
Lancashire, were also hurt. Two were sent to hospital as "walking
wounded", whilst two others had minor injuries.
Five South Korean tourists were injured - one of them
seriously - in a stampede as people fled the area after the attack.
London Ambulance Service said it had treated 12 people with
serious injuries, who were all taken to hospital. They also treated eight
people with less serious injuries at the scene.
Kings College Hospital says eight patients were being
treated there - six male, and two female. Two were described as critical and
two stable
St Thomas' Hospital said two patients had been admitted -
both were stable.
One patient was admitted to the Royal London Hospital, but
no details were given.
Who was the attacker? Was there only one?
The prime minister said there was a "single
attacker".
He has not yet been named. Police say they think they know
who he is, and are "working to look at associates". Acting deputy
commissioner Mark Rowley, the Met's top anti-terror officer, urged restraint
from "proactive investigative journalists" in working out who he was.
Mr Rowley said the working assumption was that the attacker
was "inspired by international terrorism" and "Islamist-related
terrorism", but would not comment on his nationality or any other details.
He said police were focusing on the suspect's
"motivation, preparation and associates".
Seven people have been arrested and six addresses raided in
London, Birmingham and elsewhere in connection with the attack.
Mr Rowley added that police had "no specific
information about further threats to the public at this time".