Police: Woman, officer dead in London attack at Parliament
By: By Ed Adamczyk and Danielle Haynes | Updated March 22, 2017 at 1:52 PM
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March 22 (UPI) -- Two people, including a police officer, died Wednesday in what London police say they are treating as a "terrorist incident" near the Houses of Parliament.
Authorities placed the legislative building and surrounding area, including Westminster Bridge, on lockdown after witnesses reported hearing reports of gunshots around 2:40 p.m. Those areas were later evacuated.
Leader of the House of Commons David Lidington said a police officer was fatally stabbed in the incident and an assailant was shot, BBC reported.
The Guardian reported up to 12 people may have been injured when a vehicle drove into a crowd on Westminster Bridge, which is near the Houses of Parliament.
One woman who was on the bridge died.
London Metropolitan Police Cmdr. B.J. Harrington told reporters there are a "number of casualties, including police officers," but he was unprepared to give a specific number or comment on the severity of injuries.
"Officers -- including firearms officers -- remain on the scene and we are treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise," Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation, Harrington said.
He said Craig Mackey, the acting commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, was at the scene of the incident and is being considered a "significant witness."
Within minutes of shots being fired, eight armed undercovered police rushed British Prime Minister from Parliament to a waiting vehicle.