A 41-year-old British MP from the opposition Labour Party, Jo Cox, was shot dead in her northern England constituency on Thursday. It led both sides in the debate over British membership in the European Union to suspend campaigning.
Prime Minister David Cameron said he was cancelling a planned speech in Gibraltar after “the terrible attack.”
The Attacker Was a ‘Loner’
The suspected shooter is a 52-year-old male named Thomas Mair, who has been described to be a ‘loner’ with a history of mental health issues, reported The Telegraph. He was arrested after the attack in Birstall, near Leeds. His brother said that at one time, he had possible links to a white supremacist group.
At 12.53 today, police were called to a report of an incident on Market Street, Birstall, where a woman in her 40s had suffered serious injuries.West Yorkshire Police, 16 June 2016
Cox reportedly got involved in a scuffle between two men in the village of Birstall. An eyewitness said one of the men was fighting with Cox, following which a gun went off twice.
After Cox, he stabbed a 77-year-old man who tried to intervene. A BBC report says an eyewitness heard the shooter shout, “put Britain first” twice before he attacked.
What About the Referendum?
The rival sides have been canvassing feverishly ahead of what is expected to be a close vote and Cox had been campaigning for the “remain” camp.
The campaigning for the EU referendum by Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave was suspended for 24 hours following the attack. Prime Minster David Cameron cancelled a visit to Gibraltar.
It is being speculated that the attack could strengthen the pro-EU Remain campaign which has fallen behind the Leave campaign in the opinion polls.
People Pay Respects to Cox
Her husband Brendan Cox shared a photo of his wife on the side of the river Thames.
A few hours later, he shared a statement describing his wife and how he will work toward fighting the hate that killed Jo Cox.
Eyewitness Account
Shopkeeper Sanjeev Kumar told the BBC he saw a woman lying on the ground “bleeding from the mouth and nose,” with two women trying to help her.
After around 15 minutes, witnesses said emergency services arrived and tended to her with a drip.
Eyewitness Hichem Ben-Abdallah claimed he saw a man pull out an old or makeshift gun and fire two shots, saying, “I saw a lady on the floor like on the beach with her arms straight and her knees up and blood all over the face.”
He said she didn’t make any noise, but was clearly in agony.
Cox, a former worker for charities who is married with two young children, was elected to the House of Commons in the May 2015 general election.
(With agency inputs)
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