U.K. probes murder at church in England

Man arrested in Parliament member’s death

A long-serving member of Parliament was stabbed to death Friday meeting with constituents at a church in England, an attack that united Britain’s fractious politicians in shock and sorrow. A 25year-old man was arrested at the scene.

Police said counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation into the slaying of Conservative lawmaker David Amess.

They did not identify the suspect.

Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-julian Harrington said, “It will be for investigators to determine whether or not this is a terrorist incident.”

The slaying came five years after another MP, Jo Cox, was murdered by a far-right extremist in a small-town. British politicians generally are not given police protection. Amess posted times and locations of open meetings with constituents on his

Tributes poured in for Amess from across the political spectrum.

Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “shocked and heart-stricken.”

“David was a man who believed passionately in this country and in its future, and we’ve lost today a fine public servant and a much-loved friend and colleague,” he said.

Amess, 69, was attacked midday at a Methodist church in Leigh-on-sea, 40 miles from London. Paramedics tried to save him.

Amess had been a member of Parliament for Southend West, which includes Leigh-on-sea, since 1997, and had been a lawmaker since 1983, making him one of the longestserving politicians in the House of Commons.

Amess leaves a wife and five children. He was knighted by the queen in 2015. Flags at Parliament were lowered to half-staff.

Lawmakers are protected by armed police inside Parliament. Security there tightened after an attacker inspired by Islamic State fatally stabbed a policeman at the gates in 2017.

Two other British lawmakers were attacked in the past 20 years during meetings where constituents present concerns.

Labour legislator Stephen Timms was stabbed in the stomach in 2010 by a student radicalized by online sermons from an al-qaida-linked preacher.

In 2000, Liberal Democrat Nigel Jones was killed and aide Andrew Pennington wounded by a man with a sword during such a meeting.