Car smashing into barrier outside Westminister terrorist incident, says London police
By William Booth | The Washington Post
| Aug. 14, 2018, 1:24 p.m.
| Updated: 3:53 p.m.
In this frame grab taken Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 armed police detain a man, fifth right, who was in a car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament stands to the right of a bus in London. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (SKY News via AP)
In this frame grab taken Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 armed police detain a man who was in a car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament stands to the right of a bus in London. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (ITN via AP)
A forensics officers prepares to examine the scene near a car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament to the right of a bus in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
In this frame grab taken Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 armed police train their weapons on a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament stands to the right of a bus in London. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (ITN via AP)
A forensics officers works near the scene near a car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament to the right of a bus in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Mounted police officers block a road leading to the scene where a car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament to the right of a bus in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Police patrol on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (Sam Lister/PA via AP)
Police patrol on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (Sam Lister/PA via AP)
Police cordon off the area on Millbank, in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (Sam Lister/PA via AP)
A police officer gestures as he stands in a road in central London, after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A police officer stands guard outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Forensics officers work on the car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament to the right of a bus in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Authorities said in a statement Tuesday that a man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of terrorist offenses after a silver Ford Fiesta collided with a number of cyclists and pedestrians before crashing into the barriers during the morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Forensics officers work near the scene near of a car that crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament to the right of a bus in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Authorities said in a statement Tuesday that a man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of terrorist offenses after a silver Ford Fiesta collided with a number of cyclists and pedestrians before crashing into the barriers during the morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)
A police woman patrols on Westminster Bridge after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)
A deserted road leading to the scene where a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament to the right of a bus in London, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. London police say that a car has crashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament and that there are a number of injured. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
London • A man crashed his car into security barriers outside Britain’s Houses of Parliament during Tuesday morning’s rush hour, injuring “a number of pedestrians” in what police are calling a terrorist incident.
The driver was arrested at the scene on "suspicion of terrorist offenses," said police.
The suspect, a man in his late 20s, was taken to a south London police station where he remains in police custody. His name has not been released.
"At this stage, we are treating this as a terrorist incident and the Met's Counter Terrorism Command is now leading the investigation," the Metropolitan Police spokesman said.
London Ambulance Service said its staff treated three people at the scene, two of whom ended up at a local hospital. A third suffered just minor injuries. Scotland Yard said none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Several witnesses told British news media that the crash appeared to be intentional. His silver Ford Fiesta sideswiped cyclists and pedestrians, striking several.
The Palace of Westminster, where Parliament convenes, bolstered security around the buildings in March 2017, after Khalid Masood drove his car into crowds along Westminster Bridge, killing four people. In that attack, Masood leaped from his smashed car with a knife and began slashing at police and passersby. He killed one policeman before he was shot and killed by armed officers.
"I saw a car going at high speed toward Parliament. It hit a bollard," Jason Williams, 45, told ITV news, referring to a traffic barrier on the sidewalk. "It looked deliberate. It didn't look like an accident. How do you do that by accident? It was a loud bang."
He estimated the car was traveling at 40 to 50 mph.
Footage from a rooftop video camera showed the suspect's car clipping cyclists and narrowly missing pedestrians, jumping a curb, weaving toward the barriers, before crashing outside the Parliament building, across the street from Westminster Abbey. Parliament is currently on summer recess.
Police immediately surrounded the car, which was traveling fast enough to deploy its air bags upon collision. Photographs taken at the scene show armed police surrounding a silver sedan, with automatic weapons pointed inside the car.
Witness Ewalina Ochab told Britain's Press Association: "I heard some noise and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement."
Prime Minister Theresa May thanked the emergency services for their "immediate and courageous" response to the attack. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in contact with the Metropolitan Police commissioner and applauded "first responders who were on the scene so quickly."
The Cabinet scheduled a meeting of its emergency COBRA committee for the afternoon.
By William Booth | The Washington Post
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