Saturday, June 18, 2016

British MP Jo Cox’s Suspected Killer Charged with Murder

A man has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox, BBC reports.

Cox, was stabbed and shot as she was meeting constituents at a local library in Birstall, West Yorkshire. The attack came one week before Britain holds an in-out referendum on its EU membership.

Cox supported the Remain side, which, like the rival Leave camp, suspended its campaigning following her murder.

The suspect, Thomas Mair, 52, was charged with the murder of the 41-year-old. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and faces a number of other charges, including grievous bodily harm.

According to the police, other charges include possession of a firearm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

The police in Cox’s West Yorkshire constituency had reviewed her security in the last three months after she “faced a string of security threats” and received threatening messages.

There was no known link between the threats and Tommy Mair, the 52-year-old local man who was arrested on suspicion of murdering Cox.

Cox, who was married with two children, was elected to represent Batley and Spen during the last general election in 2015.

According to the report, before entering politics, she had worked for various aid organisations including Oxfam and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Chief Constable Dee Collins said a 77-year-old man who was injured when he tried to save Cox remains in a stable condition in hospital.

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