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| Sir David Amess stabbing: What we know so far | Sir David Amess stabbing: What we know so far |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Conservative MP Sir David Amess died after being stabbed multiple times at his Essex constituency surgery, in what police are treating as a terrorist incident. | Conservative MP Sir David Amess died after being stabbed multiple times at his Essex constituency surgery, in what police are treating as a terrorist incident. |
| Here's how the attack unfolded and what we know so far. | Here's how the attack unfolded and what we know so far. |
| What happened? | What happened? |
| The MP for Southend West was stabbed at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, in Essex. He was there for one of his regular Friday meetings with his constituents. | The MP for Southend West was stabbed at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, in Essex. He was there for one of his regular Friday meetings with his constituents. |
| Just 15 minutes before the attack, the 69-year-old was standing on the church steps, chatting and laughing with locals. | Just 15 minutes before the attack, the 69-year-old was standing on the church steps, chatting and laughing with locals. |
| At about 12:05 BST on Friday, Sir David walked into the church alongside two female members of his staff to meet more constituents. | At about 12:05 BST on Friday, Sir David walked into the church alongside two female members of his staff to meet more constituents. |
| Local councillor John Lamb said that it was then a man emerged from a small group of waiting constituents and attacked Sir David, stabbing him several times. | Local councillor John Lamb said that it was then a man emerged from a small group of waiting constituents and attacked Sir David, stabbing him several times. |
| Mr Lamb later shared the accounts of Sir David's two assistants. | Mr Lamb later shared the accounts of Sir David's two assistants. |
| He described how one was in the room with Sir David taking notes. "All of a sudden there was a scream from her, because the person deliberately whipped out a knife and started stabbing David. | He described how one was in the room with Sir David taking notes. "All of a sudden there was a scream from her, because the person deliberately whipped out a knife and started stabbing David. |
| "The other lady, who was getting names from people outside, she came running in and saw poor David had been stabbed." | "The other lady, who was getting names from people outside, she came running in and saw poor David had been stabbed." |
| Police arrived at the scene in Eastwood Road North within minutes where they found the MP with multiple injuries and arrested a man. | Police arrived at the scene in Eastwood Road North within minutes where they found the MP with multiple injuries and arrested a man. |
| How a tragic day unfolded in Leigh-on-Sea | How a tragic day unfolded in Leigh-on-Sea |
| Obituary: Conservative MP Sir David Amess | Obituary: Conservative MP Sir David Amess |
| "We knew it must be very serious because the paramedics had been working on Sir David for over two-and-a-half hours and they hadn't got him on the way to hospital," Mr Lamb told the PA news agency. | "We knew it must be very serious because the paramedics had been working on Sir David for over two-and-a-half hours and they hadn't got him on the way to hospital," Mr Lamb told the PA news agency. |
| At 14:13 an air ambulance arrived at a nearby sports ground to move him to hospital. However, members of his team began to fear the worst as paramedics remained at the scene. | At 14:13 an air ambulance arrived at a nearby sports ground to move him to hospital. However, members of his team began to fear the worst as paramedics remained at the scene. |
| Shortly before 15:00, Essex Police said Sir David had died. | Shortly before 15:00, Essex Police said Sir David had died. |
| Who is the suspect? | Who is the suspect? |
| At 13:50 on Friday, Essex Police confirmed a 25-year-old man had been arrested immediately at the scene on suspicion of murder, and that a knife had been recovered. | At 13:50 on Friday, Essex Police confirmed a 25-year-old man had been arrested immediately at the scene on suspicion of murder, and that a knife had been recovered. |
| Whitehall officials have confirmed to the BBC that the suspect - who is being held at a London police station under the Terrorism Act 2000 - is Ali Harbi Ali, a British national of Somali heritage. | Whitehall officials have confirmed to the BBC that the suspect - who is being held at a London police station under the Terrorism Act 2000 - is Ali Harbi Ali, a British national of Somali heritage. |
| He was born in Southwark in south London and grew up in Croydon, and is the son of a former adviser to a previous Somali prime minister and the nephew of the Somali ambassador to China. | He was born in Southwark in south London and grew up in Croydon, and is the son of a former adviser to a previous Somali prime minister and the nephew of the Somali ambassador to China. |
| In his teenage years he was referred to the government's extremism programme Prevent but was never a formal "subject of interest" for MI5. | In his teenage years he was referred to the government's extremism programme Prevent but was never a formal "subject of interest" for MI5. |
| Ali Harbi Ali is being detained at a London police station | Ali Harbi Ali is being detained at a London police station |
| Prevent is the UK's terrorism-prevention programme, which aims to stop people being radicalised. | Prevent is the UK's terrorism-prevention programme, which aims to stop people being radicalised. |
| Teachers, members of the public, the NHS and others can refer individuals to a local panel of police, social workers and other experts who decide whether and how to intervene in their lives. | Teachers, members of the public, the NHS and others can refer individuals to a local panel of police, social workers and other experts who decide whether and how to intervene in their lives. |
| Engagement in the scheme is voluntary and it is not a criminal sanction. It is thought Mr Ali did not spend long in the programme. | Engagement in the scheme is voluntary and it is not a criminal sanction. It is thought Mr Ali did not spend long in the programme. |
| What do police say? | What do police say? |
| The attack has been declared a terrorist incident by police. | The attack has been declared a terrorist incident by police. |
| The early investigation revealed "a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism", according to Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command. | The early investigation revealed "a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism", according to Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command. |
| But it is still not exactly clear why Sir David in particular was targeted, Daniel Sandford, the BBC's home affairs correspondent said. | |
| Ali Harbi Ali was initially detained on suspicion of murder but was further detained under the Terrorism Act late on Friday. | Ali Harbi Ali was initially detained on suspicion of murder but was further detained under the Terrorism Act late on Friday. |
| On Saturday, detectives were granted a warrant by magistrates to allow them to keep Mr Ali in custody until Friday 22 October. | On Saturday, detectives were granted a warrant by magistrates to allow them to keep Mr Ali in custody until Friday 22 October. |
| The suspect is still being questioned and has not been charged. | The suspect is still being questioned and has not been charged. |
| Police searches have taken place over the weekend at properties in Lady Somerset Road, in Kentish Town, and Bounds Green Road in north London and Cranmer Road, Croydon. | |
| A post-mortem examination of Sir David has taken place, the police added. | A post-mortem examination of Sir David has taken place, the police added. |
| Labour's Sir Keir Starmer (left) and PM Boris Johnson visited the scene to lay flowers on Saturday | Labour's Sir Keir Starmer (left) and PM Boris Johnson visited the scene to lay flowers on Saturday |
| What did witnesses see? | What did witnesses see? |
| Anthony Finch, who was working nearby, told Sky News: "We arrived to do some work on the adjacent building... and at the point when I was crossing the road I saw an upset lady on the phone saying 'you need to arrive quickly, he's still in the building.'" | Anthony Finch, who was working nearby, told Sky News: "We arrived to do some work on the adjacent building... and at the point when I was crossing the road I saw an upset lady on the phone saying 'you need to arrive quickly, he's still in the building.'" |
| He said he had seen armed police, as well as an air ambulance and police helicopter. He told LBC: "It's very odd and it's very distressing, that's for sure." | He said he had seen armed police, as well as an air ambulance and police helicopter. He told LBC: "It's very odd and it's very distressing, that's for sure." |
| Lee Jordison, who works for a local butchers and was on the scene shortly after the stabbing, told the BBC everyone in the area was in a state of shock. | Lee Jordison, who works for a local butchers and was on the scene shortly after the stabbing, told the BBC everyone in the area was in a state of shock. |
| "Something like this doesn't happen - not in all the years I've been round this way." | "Something like this doesn't happen - not in all the years I've been round this way." |
| Who was Sir David Amess? | Who was Sir David Amess? |
| Sir David, who was married with five children, served as an MP for 38 years, initially in Basildon from 1983, before representing Southend West from 1997. | Sir David, who was married with five children, served as an MP for 38 years, initially in Basildon from 1983, before representing Southend West from 1997. |
| Raised as a Roman Catholic, he was known politically as a social conservative and a prominent campaigner against abortion. He was also a committed campaigner on animal welfare issues, and supported a ban on fox hunting. | Raised as a Roman Catholic, he was known politically as a social conservative and a prominent campaigner against abortion. He was also a committed campaigner on animal welfare issues, and supported a ban on fox hunting. |
| Tributes paid to Sir David Amess | Tributes paid to Sir David Amess |
| The 69-year-old was a Brexit supporter and vocal champion for the town he represented, particularly in his long-running campaign to make Southend a city. He launched a new bid last month, after a city status competition was announced to mark the Queen's platinum jubilee next year. | The 69-year-old was a Brexit supporter and vocal champion for the town he represented, particularly in his long-running campaign to make Southend a city. He launched a new bid last month, after a city status competition was announced to mark the Queen's platinum jubilee next year. |
| While he was never a minister, he was a member of numerous Commons committees, including the Health and Social Care and Backbench Business Committees. | While he was never a minister, he was a member of numerous Commons committees, including the Health and Social Care and Backbench Business Committees. |
| Born in Plaistow, east London, in 1952, he went to school in the capital and taught at a school in the city. He was a recruitment consultant before becoming an MP. | Born in Plaistow, east London, in 1952, he went to school in the capital and taught at a school in the city. He was a recruitment consultant before becoming an MP. |
| He was knighted in the 2015 New Year's Honours List for political and public service. | He was knighted in the 2015 New Year's Honours List for political and public service. |
| His family said in a statement that their hearts had been shattered and "nobody should die in that way". | His family said in a statement that their hearts had been shattered and "nobody should die in that way". |
| They called on people to show kindness and love and "set aside hatred and work towards togetherness". | They called on people to show kindness and love and "set aside hatred and work towards togetherness". |
| Sir David was a champion for the town he represented | Sir David was a champion for the town he represented |