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Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
An MP has died after she was shot and stabbed during an attack in her constituency, police have said.
Jo Cox, 41, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was left bleeding on the ground by her attacker. A 77-year-old man also suffered slight injuries.
A 52-year-old man was arrested near Market Street, Birstall, West Yorkshire Police said. The MP held a weekly advice surgery nearby.
The MP's death was confirmed at police headquarters in Wakefield.
Police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the country would be "in shock at the horrific murder", describing the MP as a "much loved colleague".
He added: "Jo died doing her public duty at the heart of our democracy, listening to and representing the people she was elected to serve.
"In the coming days, there will be questions to answer about how and why she died.
"But for now all our thoughts are with Jo's husband Brendan and their two young children. They will grow up without their mum, but can be immensely proud of what she did, what she achieved and what she stood for."
'People screaming'
Cafe owner Clarke Rothwell, who witnessed the attack, said he heard a "loud popping noise that sounded like a balloon burst - a loud balloon".
"When I looked round there's a man stood there in his 50s with a white baseball cap on and a jacket with a gun, an old fashioned looking gun in his hand," he said.
"He shot this lady once and then he shot her again, he fell to the floor, leant over shot her once more in the face area.
"Somebody tried to grab him, wrestling with him and then he wielded a knife, like a hunting knife, just started lunging at her with a knife half a dozen times. People were screaming and running from the area".
Eyewitness Hithem Ben Abdallah, said the 41-year-old mother of two was left lying and bleeding on the pavement after the incident.
'Handmade weapon'
Mr Abdallah, 56, was in a cafe next door to the library shortly after 13:00 BST when he heard screaming and went outside.
"There was a guy who was being very brave and another guy with a white baseball cap who he was trying to control and the man in the baseball cap suddenly pulled a gun from his bag".
After a brief scuffle, he said the man stepped back and the MP became involved.
Mr Abdallah said the weapon had "looked handmade" and a man who had been wrestling with the gunman continued even after seeing the gun.
He said: "The man stepped back with the gun and fired it and then he fired a second shot, as he was firing he was looking down at the ground."
"He was kicking her as she was lying on the floor", he said.
Her husband, Brendan, has since tweeted a picture of his wife standing by the side of the River Thames in London.
David Cameron also tweeted to express his concern. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jo and her family," he wrote.
Leeds North East MP Fabian Hamilton said he had known Jo Cox since before she became an MP
Mr Hamilton said: "And I'm just completely devastated, I know Birstall reasonably well, and I think we're all totally shocked."
It has been announced the Vote Leave and Remain have suspended campaigning in the EU referendum in light of the attack.
Ms Cox, who was born in Batley, was elected in 2015.
She was educated at Heckmondwike Grammar School and graduated from Cambridge University in 1995.
A former head of policy for Oxfam, she also worked as an adviser to Sarah Brown and Baroness Kinnock.
Mark Goldring, Oxfam's chief executive, said: " Oxfam is deeply shocked to hear the news. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Jo and her family at this difficult time."
Most MPs hold surgeries in their constituency to give people an opportunity to meet them and discuss matters of concern.
They are usually held once a week and advertised locally or online. An MP may take up an issue on a constituent's behalf.
- A Private Eye
- Rep: 77
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
Not far from me at all. I play football in Birstall every Monday.
Nobody should die like that. Very sad.
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
In April, Cox supported the Lord Dubs amendment for Britain to accept 3,000 lone child refugees from Europe. Here’s what she said in the Commons:
We all know that the vast majority of the terrified, friendless and profoundly vulnerable child refugees scattered across Europe tonight came from Syria. We also know that, as that conflict enters its sixth barbaric year, desperate Syrian families are being forced to make an impossible decision: stay and face starvation, rape, persecution, and death, or make a perilous journey to find sanctuary elsewhere. Who can blame desperate parents for wanting to escape the horror that their families are experiencing? Children are being killed on their way to school, children as young as 7 are being forcefully recruited to the front line, and 1 in 3 children have grown up knowing nothing but fear and war. Those children have been exposed to things no child should ever witness, and I know I would risk life and limb to get my two precious babies out of that hellhole.
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
R.I.P.
Prayers/thoughts with her friends and family.
- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
One of the eye witness said he shouted Britain First. Britain first are one of the loonies groups that hate everyone that isn't English or Northern Irish and of course a different religion/skin color.
So he done it due to politics. Anyway I bet he's already sent in his postal vote for the referendum.
- A Private Eye
- Rep: 77
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
There's mixed reports. It's also being said he was actually arguing with someone else and she intervened and then she got shot and stabbed. Which would make it less of a political thing at least in the sense that he actively targeted an MP. Not that it really makes any difference, other than the motive is still unclear.
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
Yeah it's confusing due to this eye witness who mentioned another man who was arguing with the attacker. That part of the article is rather weak, imo.
At first I thought that other man had tried to stop the attacker while Ms Cox was already down but now it seems she intervened.
It's been a horrible week. 
Re: Jo Cox MP dead after shooting attack
Anyway most recent poll seems to suggest that support for Brexit has increased since her death. People think it's a liberal conspiracy for some reason.
