“He didn’t just do his job to go and get paid. He actually cared about the people.”
PC Keith Palmer has been identified as the unarmed police officer who was among five people killed in a suspected terror attack in Westminster on Wednesday night. He was a 48-year-old husband and father, and had served in the armed forces before becoming a policeman.
Tributes have been flooding in to remember a man who sacrificed his life to protect others.
PC Keith Palmer. Our brave Met #Police colleague who today made the ultimate sacrifice #LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/i5L4dQSNuC
— Metropolitan Police Federation (@MPFed) March 22, 2017
Conservative MP James Cleverly said he was “heartbroken” about the passing of his former army comrade:
“I’ve known Keith for 25 years. We served together in the Royal Artillery before he became a copper. A lovely man, a friend. I’m heartbroken. My thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of PC Keith Palmer. A brave man.”
Thank you PC Keith Palmer – to your bravery many others owe their lives and safety https://t.co/gTMLdsqN34
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) March 22, 2017
The 48-year-old was fatally stabbed by a man armed with two large knives inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament.
A police officer named Nina, from SE London, told LBC that Palmer saved her life in 2007.
“He actually did save my life in a car accident on duty, I was a police officer. I had a car accident on duty, I was the passenger. I was the passenger and he was one of the police officers who actually saved my life.
“I owe him everything. He was a wonderful dad, and wonderful husband to his wife and everything. He didn’t just do his job to go and get paid. He actually cared about the people.
“He really did, he was a lovely man, absolutely lovely man, and everyone’s going to really miss him.”
Met Police’s Counter Terrorism Chief, Mark Rowley added: “He was someone who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift – and he had every right to expect that would happen.”
