On Wednesday, a man reportedly attempted to enter the Palace of Westminster before being stopped by police officers who allegedly shot him. The resulting scene at the Westminster Bridge was chaotic, as details of the scenario continued to emerge. Prior to being shot, the suspect supposedly crashed his car while on the bridge, got out, and charged towards police with a knife. Helicopters and ambulances responded, with the helicopter landing in Parliament Square to provide assistance.
In response to the event, Commons Leader David Lidington told members of Parliament that the man had been shot, but not before reportedly stabbing a police officer. He hinted that the incident was not isolated, though that has not been confirmed.
There are also reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster but I hope colleagues on all sides will appreciate that it'd be wrong of me to go into further details until we have confirmation from the police and from the House security authorities about what is going on.
British Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesperson has also confirmed that the leader is safe and not harmed. Here are some photos and videos from the scene itself that depict the disorder that must have added to the panic.
"Loud Bangs Heard Outside Parliament"
British Parliament went on lockdown shortly after.
The Car That Crashed
This appears to have been the assailant's car.
From A Different Perspective
The driver of the vehicle has not been identified.
People Reportedly Injured
Bystanders reported two people lying injured or shocked on the ground after the incident.
This Visualization
In case you're unfamiliar with how Parliament is oriented to the bridge.
On Lockdown
It's unclear what kind of condition the people reportedly hit by the car are in.
Injuries Are Still Be Evaluated
It's also not certain how many people were hit by the car.
The Scene On The Bridge Was Horrifying
People in the surrounding area had reason to feel afraid.
Helicopters Arrived To Help
Emergency assistance was necessary.
A Livestream
CBSN provided a livestream of the incident, which may be helpful for anyone with family in the area who are worried.
An Aerial View
News agencies around the world are reporting on the incident.
Another Aerial View
Lots of help arrived on the scene.
Traffic
A lot was happening at once.
Details Continue To Be Pieced Together
People were reportedly hit by the car as it crashed.
London Metropolitan police have confirmed that until further notice, they are considering the crash and the reported knife attack on the policeman to be terrorism.
