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British Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed Friday during a meeting with his constituents at a church in eastern England, according to witnesses and media reports.
Amess, who represents Southend West in Essex, eastern England, was stabbed at around midday at a meeting at a Methodist Church.
His office confirmed he had been stabbed but gave no further details.
Essex police did not name Amess but confirmed that officers “were called to reports of a stabbing” shortly after 12:05 pm. “A man was arrested shortly after & we’re not looking for anyone else,” the force said on Twitter.
A man’s been arrested following an incident in #LeighonSea.
We were called to reports of a stabbing in Eastwood Rd North shortly after 12.05pm.
A man was arrested shortly after & we’re not looking for anyone else.
We’ll bring you more info when we have it. pic.twitter.com/U3dU7btoz7
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) October 15, 2021
“He was stabbed several times,” John Lamb, a local councillor at the scene, told Reuters. “We’re not sure how serious it is but it’s not looking good.”
A police cordon remained around the building, said Lamb.
“Horrific and deeply shocking news. Thinking of David, his family and his staff,” said the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer.
Amess was first elected to parliament to represent Basildon in 1983, and then stood for election in Southend West in 1997.
His website lists his main interests are “animal welfare and pro-life issues.”
The stabbing at Amess’ meeting with constituents has echoes of a 2010 case when Labour lawmaker Stephen Timms survived a stabbing in his constituency office, and the 2016 fatal shooting of Labour’s Jo Cox just days before the Brexit referendum.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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