British MP Jo Cox dead after shooting attack; Britain First denies involvement with alleged shooter

British MP Jo Cox has died after she was shot and stabbed in Birstall, West Yorkshire. The Labour MP for Batley and Spen died in a hospital on Thursday an hour following the attack. A 52-year-old man named ThomasMair has been arrested.

Cox was gunned down in broad daylight outside a library in Birstall, where she was meeting with constituents. According to witnesses the attacker, named by the media as Mair, had both an antique-looking gun and a large hunting knife.

The Sun quoted witnesses saying Mair opened fire as the politician left a library. He dragged Cox to the floor by the hair and then gunned her down at point blank range. He shot her three times, calmly standing over her as he reloaded each time before executing her with a final bullet to the head. As Cox lay dying, he stabbed her at least seven times.

An eyewitness told the BBC the attacker was heard shouting “put Britain first” at least twice before killing Cox. Several media outlets also cited witnesses saying Meir shouted “Britain First,” although other witnesses claimed they did not hear anyone shouting the political party’s name.

Meir was arrested shortly after the attack. His younger brother described him as having “a history of mental illness,” according to the Telegraph.

“I am struggling to believe what has happened. My brother is not violent and is not all that political. I don’t even know who he votes for. He has a history of mental illness, but he has had help,” Scott Mair wept as he told reporters. “I cried when I heard. I am so sorry for her and her family.”

Mair’s motive for killing Cox is still unknown. Cox is a vocal supporter of Britain’s stay in the European Union. She is also a supporter of immigration. Her political views differ from Britain First, which campaigns against Islamism and immigration, and is a supporter of Brexit.

Cox is the first incumbent MP killed since 1990 when Conservative politician Ian Gow was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republic Army. She is survived by her husband, Brendan Cox, and their two young children, aged three and five.

Britain First denies Jo Cox killing involvement

Britain First leader Paul Golding denied the claims that the far right group was involved in the attack, urging media, which he claimed was dishonest and “not very good at telling the truth,” to act responsibly.

YouTube/Britain First

“We had nothing to do with it. We would not condone actions like that. We carry out protests and we stand in elections. I recently stood in a London election and received over 100,000 votes. So that’s the kind of political activities that we carry out,” Golding said in the video.

His message was recorded before Cox succumbed to her injuries.