Westminster terror attack: Tributes as victims named as policeman, mother and tourist
Tearful tributes have been paid to two of the Westminster terror attack victims - one a respected policeman and the other a much-loved mother and college worker.
Friends and colleagues spoke of their sadness at the deaths of Pc Keith Palmer and Aysha Frade as flowers were left outside Parliament today.
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Pc Keith Palmer
Pc Palmer has been praised as a "strong, professional public servant" who served in the military before joining the Met Police's parliamentary and diplomatic protection command.
Tributes have poured in for the 48-year-old father and husband - and Charlton Athletic season ticket holder - after he was stabbed to death in the Westminster attack.
Speaking in Parliament the day after the incident, his former colleague, Conservative MP James Cleverly, paid a tearful tribute to the man he met 25 years ago as part of Battery 100 Regiment, Royal Artillery.
He said: "He was a strong, professional public servant and it was a delight to meet him again only a few months after being elected."
Pc Palmer served as a reservist from August 1987 to August 2001, leaving as a bombardier, and had 15 years of service as a police officer.
Football club Charlton Athletic said in a statement: "Keith was a familiar face at The Valley to many supporters and sat in his same East Stand seat for many years.
"As an immediate tribute, a red and white scarf has been placed on his seat which will remain until the next home game on Tuesday April 4, while the club will discuss ways in which it can commemorate his life at the game itself.
"Keith was a true hero who will be greatly missed by all the Charlton family, and everyone at the club would like to offer their sincere condolences to his family and friends at this extremely difficult time."
Scotland Yard's leading anti-terror officer Mark Rowley said: "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."
The Metropolitan Police Federation said: "PC Keith Palmer. Our brave Met #Police colleague who today made the ultimate sacrifice #LestWeForget."
Home Affairs Select Committee chairwoman Yvette Cooper, who was in the Palace of Westminster when the terrorist burst through the gates, said: "Thank you Pc Keith Palmer - to your bravery many others owe their lives and safety"
Braintree MP Mr Cleverly called on his friend to be given posthumous recognition for his actions.
Prime Minister Theresa May responded: "Having served in our armed forces and then come here to this place and paid the ultimate sacrifice here at the heart of our democracy, I can assure (Mr Cleverly) that the issue that he's raised is of course one that will be considered in due course."
Aysha Frade
Aysha Frade was 'a highly regarded and loved' member of staff at the London sixth form college where she worked, said her colleagues.
Mrs Frade worked in the administration team at DLD College London, just a few hundred metres from Westminster Bridge, principal Rachel Borland confirmed.
Ms Borland said: "We are all deeply shocked and saddened at the news that one of the victims yesterday was a member of our staff, Aysha Frade.
"All our thoughts and our deepest sympathies are with her family.
"We will be offering every support we can to them as they try to come to terms with their devastating loss.
"Aysha worked as a member of our administration team at the college.
"She was highly regarded and loved by our students and by her colleagues.
"She will be deeply missed by all of us."
Vigi Sawdon, a former neighbour of Mrs Frade in Notting Hill where the Frade family used to live, said: "If you can imagine one of the most upstanding members of society, that was her.
"She was just a wonderful mother and a lovely person."
She was a British national whose mother was Spanish, the Spanish foreign ministry said.
Kurt Cochran
The third victim of the Westminster terror attack was US citizen Kurt Cochran.
The family of the tourist from Utah announced his death on social media and said his partner was injured but will recover.
Sara Payne-Mcfarland wrote on Facebook: "SO, SO SORRY to inform everyone - Kurt has passed away from the injuries he received during the attack in London.
"My sister, Melissa, has a broken leg, a broken rib, and a cut on her head. While we are glad she survived, our hearts are broken and will never be the same after losing our dear uncle, brother-in-law, father. Kurt, you are a HERO, and we will never forget you."
Clint Payne wrote on Facebook: "Our hearts are broken this day as we say goodbye to our dear brother-in-law Kurt. He passed away from the injuries sustained in the London terrorist attack yesterday. We love him so much and will never forget him.
"My sister, Melissa, sustained a broken leg, broken rib and a cut to her head. We are grateful that she will recover. Our hearts ache for her and their children in losing their loving companion and father.
"Please continue to pray for our family. Thank you."
Injured
Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs that those injured included 12 Britons, three French children, two Romanians, four South Koreans, two Greeks, and one person each from Germany, Poland, Ireland, China, Italy and the United States.
Three police officers were also hurt, two of them seriously.
