LONDON // A British lawmaker was shot to death on Thursday in a small town she represents – a tragedy that brought to a standstill the fierce campaign over whether Britain should leave the European Union.
Labour legislator Jo Cox was attacked just before 1pm in Birstall, northern England, said acting chief constable Dee Collins of West Yorkshire police. She was pronounced dead by a doctor less than an hour later. A 77-year-old man was also injured in the attack.
A 52-year-old man has been arrested and police believe it is a “lone incident” and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
Police would not speculate on a motive for the shooting. Ms Collins said officers had recovered some weapons.
Violence against politicians is rare in Britain, as are gun attacks, and politicians expressed deep shock.
Prime minister David Cameron said “this is absolutely tragic and dreadful news”.
“We have lost a great star,” he said. “She was a great campaigning MP with huge compassion and a big heart.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said “the whole of the Labour Party and Labour family – and indeed the whole country – will be in shock at the horrific murder of Jo Cox today.”
No serving UK member of Parliament has been killed since 1990, when the Irish Republican Army killed Conservative lawmaker Ian Gow with a booby-trap bomb placed under his car outside his English home. A former lawmaker, Donald Kaberry, was injured in an IRA bombing in 1990 and died the next year.
British security officials said the shooting was under investigation, but it did not appear it was related to international terrorism. Domestic terrorism, however, has not been ruled out.
Both the Vote Leave and Britain Stronger in Europe campaigns suspended activity ahead of next week’s vote over whether Britain should remain a part of the 28-member bloc at the news.
The rival sides in the referendum have been canvassing feverishly ahead of what is expected to be a close vote and Cox had been campaigning for the “remain” camp.
It was not clear if the attack on her was linked to the EU debate or whether Cox had been deliberately targeted.
Eyewitness Hithem Ben Abdallah said Cox was involved in a scuffle between two men in Birstall, 320 kilometres north of London.
Mr Abdallah said one of the men was fighting with Cox and then a gun went off twice and “she fell between two cars and I came and saw her bleeding on the floor”.
Clarke Rothwell, who runs a nearby cafe, tod the BBC he believed Cox had been shot and stabbed multiple times.
Cox, a former worker for international development charities who is married with two young children, was elected to the House of Commons in the May 2015 general election.
She has been one of the most outspoken lawmakers on the subject of the Syrian civil war, and has been critical of Britain’s reluctance to deepen its military involvement against ISIL as part of efforts to end it.* Associated Press