British Lawmaker Shot Dead in Gun-Free Zone
Police take suspect into custody.
Early Thursday, a gunman shot and then stabbed to death a member of Britain’s Parliament. It’s reported that the attacker yelled “Britain First,” during and after the attack. Britain First is a far-right anti-immigrant group is Britain. The victim, Jo Cox, was a strong advocate for Syrian refugees, and it’s thought that the attack was politically motivated. Responding officers tackled the suspect and took him into custody.
The Guardian reports:
The Labour MP Jo Cox has died after being shot and stabbed multiple times following a constituency meeting.
Armed officers responded to the attack near a library in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on Thursday afternoon. A 52-year-old man was arrested in the area, police confirmed. The suspect was named locally as Tommy Mair.
Police added that Cox, the MP for Batley and Spen, had suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at 1.48pm on Thursday by a doctor with paramedics at the scene.
Police also confirmed a man in his late 40s to early 50s nearby suffered slight injuries in the incident. They are also investigating reports that the suspect shouted “Britain first”, a possible reference to the far-right political party of that name, as he launched the attack.
Police are understood to be talking to at least one witness who claimed to have heard the attacker shout the words, and the motivation for the incident will form part of their inquiry.
Cox’s husband, Brendan, said after her death was announced: “Today is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. More difficult, more painful, less joyful, less full of love. I and Jo’s friends and family are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo.
“Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it everyday of her life with an energy and a zest for life that would exhaust most people. She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her. Hate doesn’t have a creed, race or religion, it is poisonous.
“Jo would have no regrets about her life, she lived every day of it to the full.”
This attack appears to have been committed by a white nut-job, and we are considering it a terrorist attack due to it’s nature and apparent political motivation. We will follow up with more details as they are released.
