Reports indicate that one of the four people who had been killed in the recent London terrorist attack was an American tourist. While only three of the four Victims appeared to have been identified as of yet, police have also identified the attacker. Added to that, there are other victims who were injured in the attack, and they came from various countries around the world.
What do we know about the victims so far?
Three of the four victims have been identified as Kurt Cochran, Aysha Frade, and Keith Palmer, with the fourth member currently unidentified to the public.
Cochran was reportedly a tourist from the United States who had been visiting London from Utah with his wife, and he died from injuries sustained from the attack. He was in his mid-50's at the time of his death. Frade was a 43-year old schoolteacher. Palmer was an unarmed police officer who was on duty at the gates of Parliament when he was fatally stabbed by the attacker. While the fourth victim’s identity is currently unknown, it has been said that he died while hospitalized for injuries caused by the attack.
Around forty others were injured in the attack. Twelve were British nationals, with the other victims coming from countries that included France, Romania, South Korea, Germany, Poland, Ireland, China, Italy, Australia, and Greece.
Three of those injured were police officers, with two of them remaining in serious condition. Added to that, at least three of the victims were children.
Prime Minister Theresa May had denounced the attack as “an attack on free people everywhere.” Queen Elizabeth II has also reportedly given her condolences for the victims.
What do we know about the attacker so far?
Police have identified Khalid Masood as the killer. He was shot dead at the scene of the attack. Masood was born Adrian Elms in Kent. According to reports, Masood has a record of convictions spanning twenty years for charges of assault, weapons possession, and violations of public order, although he was not the subject of any current investigation at the time of the attack.
Police believe that Masood acted alone and do not expect a series of attacks, although they also allege that there has been "no prior evidence" to alert authorities about the recent attack.
According to reports, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the assault and said in a released statement that the attacker was one of their "soldiers."