The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Single shot killed terrorist
Coroner: Westminster attacker found to have suffered fatal gunshot wound
Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood was killed by a single gunshot to his chest, an inquest has heard.
The extremist was gunned down by an armed police officer after gaining access to the Palace of Westminster grounds during his rampage on March 22 in the heart of political London.
Westminster Coroner’s Court heard on Thursday that the Kent-born 52-yearold earlier mounted the kerb twice in aHyundai car as he sped acrossWestminster Bridge, killing three people and leaving dozens injured.
He then mounted it a third time, crashing, and then charged into the Palace of Westminster grounds armed with two knives, killing Constable Keith Palmer.
In total his attack, which left four people dead, lasted just 82 seconds.
A coroner’s officer told the inquest that a postmortem examination on Masood was held onMarch 23 and the “provisional cause of death given at the time was a gunshot wound to the chest”.
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent John Crossley, who is leading the investigation into the attack, told the inquest: “The male attacked a police officer on the ground with two knives, causing grave wounds.
“He was then shot dead by a police officer.”
He added Masood was pronounced dead at 3.35pm, around an hour after the attack happened.
His body was taken to St
“Attack, which left four people dead, lasted just 82 seconds”
Ma r y ’ s Ho s p i t a l in Paddington before being moved to a morgue.
Chris Lovatt, operations team leader with the Independent Police Complaints Commission, told the hearing that staff from the watchdog had met on Wednesday with Masood’s wife RoheyHydara, and his mother Janet Ajao.
The latter previously said she had “shed many tears” for her son’s victims.
An inquest into his four victims was opened by Dr Fiona Wilcox on Wednesday and found that Constable Palmer died despite wearing body armour. The inquest wasadjourneduntil May 19.