Irish Daily Star

Brit MP stabbed to death in church

TERROR PROBE AFTER TORY AMESS ATTACKED AS HE MET CONSTITUEN­TS

- ■Keith FALKINER

A TERROR probe was launched last night after British MP David Amess was brutally stabbed to death in a church.

The Tory MP (69) was holding a constituen­cy surgery when a man ran inside and knifed him “multiple times”.

Paramedics raced to the scene but were unable to save t he m arried father-of-five.

A 25-year- old man was arrested at the scene and was last night being quizzed on suspicion of murder.

Knife

Police said a knife was recovered and counter-terorrism officers were leading the investigat­ion. TheSouthen­dWestMPwas attacked at Belfairs Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, England at just after noon yesterday.

Amess, who spent 38 years in the Commons, was holding a regular surgery which he had advertised online.

An air ambulance was deployed as police sealed off the scene and surroundin­g roads were blocked.

A police spokesman said last night: “The response of the emergency services to this incident was immediate and our officers arrived on scene within minutes.

“When they arrived they found Sir David Amess MP, who had suffered multiple injuries.

“This was a difficult incident, but our officers and paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service worked extremely hard to save Sir David. “Tragically he died at the scene. “A 25-year-old man was arrested immediatel­y at the scene on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody.”

Boris Johnson was visiting the Rolls-Royce factory in Bristol at lunchtime yesterday when aides informed him of the unfolding tragedy.

Meeting

But a planned Cabinet meeting in the city was abandoned and the British Prime Minister sped back to London.

At No10, a v isibly shocked Mr Johnson paid tribute to his colleague. He said: “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, and our thoughts are very much today with his wife, his children, and his family.”

 ?? ?? HORROR: Police at scene of the killing yesterday and (right) an air ambulance was despatched
HORROR: Police at scene of the killing yesterday and (right) an air ambulance was despatched
 ?? ?? SHOCK: British MP David Amess who was brutally stabbed to death in a knife attack yesterday
SHOCK: British MP David Amess who was brutally stabbed to death in a knife attack yesterday
 ?? ?? TRIBUTES: Flowers at the scene and Johnson
TRIBUTES: Flowers at the scene and Johnson

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