Single gunshot to chest ended terror rampage
A SINGLE gunshot wound to the chest ended Khalid Masood’s terror rampage, an inquest heard yesterday.
The 52-year-old was gunned down by a police officer after gaining access to the Palace of Westminster grounds last Wednesday.
He had earlier driven a Hyundai hire car across Westminster Bridge, killing three people and leaving dozens injured.
After crashing the car he ran towards Parliament armed with two knives and killed PC Keith Palmer.
The Muslim convert was pronounced dead at 3.35pm – less than an hour after launching his murderous mission, which lasted just 82 seconds. Eric Sword, from Westminster Coroner’s Court, told the hearing that Masood was identified by his fingerprints and DNA.
He added: “Provisional cause of death given at this time was a gunshot wound to the chest.”
Condemned
Chris Lovatt, operations team leader with the Independent Police Complaints Commission, told the hearing that an investigation was being carried out into the shooting. No police officers are under criminal or misconduct investigations, it was heard. Staff from the watchdog met two days ago with Masood’s wife Rohey Hydara, 39, and his mother Janet Ajao, 69, who have both condemned his actions.
Adjourning the inquest to May 19, senior coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said: “I pass my sympathies to the family of Masood.”
On Wednesday, Dr Wilcox opened and adjourned an inquest into the deaths of Masood’s victims PC Palmer, 48, US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44.
Yesterday, it emerged Masood was a Sussex University graduate in economic history.