LONDON:Â An assailant was shot outside the British parliament by armed police, the leader of the House of Commons said on Wednesday after loud bangs were heard and a Reuters photographer saw at least a dozen injured people on a nearby bridge.
The House of Commons session was suspended and members of parliament who were in the chamber were told to remain there. The PM was reportedly bundled away from parliament.
House of Commons leader David Lidington told MPs a “police officer has been stabbed†and the “alleged assailant was shot by armed police”.
“At the moment the very clear advice from the police and director of security in the house is we should remain under suspension and the chamber remain in lockdown until we receive advice that it is safe,” the Guardian reported Lidington as saying.
Police said they had been called to an incident at Westminster Bridge, officers were on the scene and it was being treated as a firearms incident.
A parliamentary official earlier said two people had been shot outside parliament and the building was in lockdown
The reports led to a major security alert at the Palace of Westminster as sounds similar to gunfire rang out amid shouts and screams. Nearby Westminster underground train station was closed at the request of police.
Sky News said at least two people were injured, adding that eyewitnesses had reported seeing a man with a knife outside the Parliament building.
British newspaper, the Telegraph, said a man had reportedly been shot by police outside the Houses of Parliament.
According to media reports, the sitting in the House of Commons was suspended as law enforcers sealed off the area.
Latest reports said an air ambulance had landed in Parliament Square.
