Conservative MP David Amess stabbed multiple times
Sir David Amess has been stabbed as he met people in his constituency
Last updated 24th May 2022
Police have launched a murder investigation after Sir David Amees dies.
Many people have been paying tributes to Southend's MP after he was stabbed earlier today.
A man has been arrested after an MP was stabbed multiple times as he was speaking to people in his constituency in Essex today.
Conservative MP Sir David Amess was at a local constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea when the incident happened just after midday.
The 69-year-old MP had been receiving treatment at the scene of the incident but sadly, he died at the scene.
Essex police say they have arrested one man and are not looking for anyone else.
In a statement they also said officers were on scene shortly after they'd been called and that they'd recovered a knife.
A spokesman for Sir Amess's office in Westminster said: “The incident has happened. I don’t know what the incident is. We are still waiting.”
Eyewitness statement
An employee of Jean's Laundry, near Belfair's Methodist Church in Eastwood Road, said she did not know anything about the situation but had seen emergency service vehicles go by.
"We just saw all the police and the ambulances turning up, it was probably about half past 12 or just before then," she told the PA news agency.
"I saw about two or three ambulances and then an undercover police car and other police cars going past.
"There's usually people walking past, elderly people walking to the shops. We've still got no idea what's going on, we're not very busy on a Friday and no one has come in to talk to us about it."
Reaction from the world of politics and beyond
The incident comes five years after Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered as she arrived to host a surgery in her Batley and Spen constituency in June 2016.
The Jo Cox Foundation, set up after her murder, tweeted to say they were horrified to hear the news and were thinking of him, his family and his loved ones.
Brendan Cox, partner of Jo Cox, said attacking elected representatives was an attack on democracy itself.
Conservative MP and former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith tweeted: “My thoughts are with David Amess MP and his family at this awful time.
“Praying for a full recovery following this appalling, shocking news. This angry, violent behaviour cannot be tolerated in politics or any other walk of life…”
Labour leader Keir Starmer described it as horrific and deeply shocking.
Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi described him as a committed public servant.
Police statement on David Amees stabbing
In a statement, Essex Police said officers arrived at the scene in Eastwood Road North shortly after 12.05pm and arrested a man.
The statement said: “We were called to reports of a stabbing in Eastwood Road North, #LeighonSea shortly after 12.05pm today (Friday 15 October).
“Officers were on scene shortly after, arrested a man and recovered a knife. He is currently in custody.
“We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the wider public.
You can read the police's statement on the murder investigation here