thanks for joining us for news 4 midday. >> we're kicking things off with the weather. if you left the house early this morning, it wasn't so bad. next time you go outside, get ready. >> nasty out there. >> sheena is here with a midday wake-up call. >> i hope everyone grabbed the warm jacket before they stepped outside. it was mile r mild this morning but it feels like 35 in the district. actual temperature is 44 degrees. fay a look at the rest of the area. feels like 31 in gaithersburg, a lot of the area feeling right around freezing. now as we go through the rest of the day toda

mid-40s but we'll continue to feel like the 30 aers, then we t dropping overnight. we'll be colder tomorrow morning than this morning. take a look at these 20s as we go into 7:00 a.m. some areas could be in the mid-20s, for today a windy and cold day. it's going to be a dry go but hopefully you were planning accordingly before you stepped out this morning. we had the mild temperatures this morning and we were in the 50s but now we're looking at just a very cold day. there was the cold front this morning. that basically moved through and really brought us colder air. here are the actual temperatures, 39 degrees in ga gaithersburg, but it feels mostly around freezing and the actual amount, 41, winchester, 36 degrees now and that's where we see the coldest air across the area. we'll talk about a mid warm-up as we go into the weekend straight

>> good afternoon, i'm erika gonzalez, thank you, sheena. we have some breaking news happening in london. we understand just recently from nbc's kelly kocobiella that parliament has been placed on lockdown. breaking news into the newsroom a few moments ago. metropolitan police tweeting that there was some reports of an incident at westminster bridge being treated as a firearms incident. this is some type -- this may be some type of shooting that has happened in the area. that has now caused an entire lockdown of parliament. these are live pictures just coming into our newsroom. just a few moments ago, we were seeing police with long guns walking up and down a very busy westminster bridge. the live pictures coming into the newsroom from what we can tell you r

exactly sure what has happened that caused a lockdown of parliament and we are told by the metropolitan police them tweeting out this information that this is now being treated as a firearms incident. as soon as we get a little more clarity on this incident we'll bring it to you right here from the live desk. back over to you. >> all right, thank you, erika. developing this morning, a big fire in the district and investigators trying to figure out how it started. take a look at the video from d.c. fire. molette green is live on colorado avenue. >> reporter: good morning, a small number of firefighters still on the scene. they really had to bring out a full course of people and equipment earlier to work to keep this fire contained to this one house in the alley. big flames an lots of smoke turn this two-stor

a raging inferno. at one point a may day went out for a firefighter in distress. but is now okay. crews brought out extra equipment and manpower to the 5800 block of colorado avenue in northwest just off 13th street. around 6:00 a.m. this morning, before this house caught fire, people who live on the street say they didn't notice it much and believe it was in foreclosure with a squatter taking shelter. firefighters found no one inside. >> good to hear. >> reporter: some good news coming from this house that before now attracted little attention on this street. back live here at the scene, firefighters now cleaning up and getting ready to go. the focus now is on what caused this fire. tha that is the latest live, back to you.

first 100 days, take a live look at day three of judge neil gorsuch's confirmation hearing while judge gorsuch is being grilled by lawmakers in the senate, republican leaders are scrambling to get the votes needed for the affordable care act. here's the latest. >> reporter: in an uphill battle for president trump today -- >> i think we're going to get a winner vote. >> reporter: after the visit to capitol hill to drum up support for the republican health plan, 27 republicans remain opposed or leaning against it. the party can only afford to lose 21. >> we owe it to the men and women of this nation that we represent to deliver. >> reporter: overnight a fresh appeal at a republican fundraiser. >> it really is a crucial vote for the republican party and for the people of our country. to finally repeal and replace the disaster known as

>> the president behind closed doors emphasizing what a spokesman calls a political reality. >> made it clear to members that for those of you who go out there and keep your word and support it, we're going to make sure we remember those who stood by us. >> reporter: feeling the pressure some lawmakers fear their jobs may be in jeopardy. >> it's a temporary job and i've known that from day one. hearing this from constituents. >> all you need is a simple majority and got nothing done. >> reporter: the president holds a listening session while former vice president joe biden joins democrats to celebrate the seventh an aersvy of obamacare, the chance of getting rid of it now on life support. for democrats today it's all hands on deck. they have a meeting this morning to count votes and their pitching what they call the facebook live war room taking to social media to get public support. tracie potts, nbc news, washington. health care is one of the topics the congressional black

caucus's executive committee will discuss when meet with the president today and anthony brown will be part of that meeting. >> parents at rockville want immediate changes after a 14-year-old girl was raped at school. the two suspects are her classmates. >> we know one of the suspects is an undocumented i am grapt for parents and brings another layer of concern to an already horrible crime. >> there seems to be indication there's a lot more going on with this case than we know of and i have a daughter in there so i'm still very concerned. >> dr. jack smith is the superintendent of mnt gomry county schools and says the assault should not become a political issue. >> someone tried to make this into a question and issue of immigration. what comes down here is that we serve every student that walks in our door. we are a public school

>> we'll have more on how they plan to make the area safer, check the nbc washington app. a lot of college students are doing this time of year, hanging out with friends during spring break. >> police say that is what got her killed, 18-year-old mcallister was shot monday night in northeast washington. she was home from saint augustine and watching a rock video being filmed when someone pulled out a gun and fired several shot. her father is devastated. >> i just miss her warm smile, the close relationship that we have. >> this is the second homicide to affect the same family in an unrelated case. her cousin was murdered four months ago outside of an apartment complex in capital heights. both cases are unsolved. we're working to learn more about an alarming incident at the metro station this morning green line riders were held on trains while police confronted someone with a knife. that person is in

anacostia metro station. a viewer sent this picture from the scene. the green line was delayed about an hour but back on time right now. the second longest escalators in the western hemisphere and today all five have been officially replaced. the official ceremony and ribbon cutting does not get under way until 3:00 this afternoon and bethesda project has been going on for nearly three years and cost more than $8 million. >> today the authority that overseas reagan national airport is showing off what will be the future of air travel. it's expected to transform your experience at one of the area's busiest airports. these are the newest renderings of a multimillion dollar jet concourse that will open in 2021. it will include new seating and concessions for 14 gates and replaces the outdoor regional boarding areas that can only be reached by bus right now. this concourse is in addition to the new security

scheduled to be built outside of the metro station. today is an important deadline for runners in the marine corps marathon. the lottery for the race opens today. you have a week to sign up and you'll find out on march 30th whether you're selected. the registration fee is $160 but you don't have to pay until you're selected and registered. right now we want to break because we want to go to a nbc special report on the parliament incident on lockdown. >> good day, we're coming on the air because of one possibly two security situations unfolding right now in central london. the report of shots fired outside of parliament. the house of commons was in session and the parliament was put on a lockdown. let's get more now from kelly ko cobiella. >> it looks as though there are two separate incidents, one on the westminster bridge, the

the houses of parliament across the tems and it now appears as though a car hit several people, a crowd in westminster bridge, at least five people were hit by that car. they are now being treated from what we understand. and a separate incident close to the houses of parliament very close to the houses of parliament where a man believed to have been armed with a knife threatened a police officer and was able to get into the confines of the parliamentary building. the leader of the house of commons has confirmed that that man was shot by police. that information has not yet been confirmed by met police. what we're hearing on the official channels of met police is that there's a firearms incident in central london that they are aware of this but they are not giving

details. lester, one more note to add, this would have been a busy day at parliament. it's wednesday, when the prime minister goes to the houses of parliament and addresses fellow mps and talks about the state of government and policies. we understand that the prime minister is safe and at work. her location not being disclosed. lester? >> we're looking at a picture right now westminster bridge and vehicles stopped right there. is it your assessment right now that whatever happened is contained? >> we haven't heard officially from met police whether they are looking for more than one suspect, whether they have stopped a suspect or whether anyone is in custody or has been stopped by any means, shot or otherwise. all we have in terms of suspects or attackers is this information from the leader of the house of commons who has said that one man has been shot at the houses of

so again, lester, this leaves in question exactly what has happened on westminster bridge aside from a person in a car running into a crowd of people and injuring at least five. that's where we stand as of now. >> we're looking at a live aerial view of the bridge itself where we believe that some people have been treated there. the camera now focusing in on what appears to be people on the ground around the double decker bus. how this relates to what happened on the grounds of parliament is not clear right now but you can clearly see activity, first responders around that bus on the bridge. this bridge leads across the te temps and to parliament. very close together here. early reports are of the shots fired, there was a statement by the leader of the house of comm w

was shot by armed police. air ambulance is currently on the scene to remove casualties and then he notes in a statement further violence in the vicinity of the palace of westminster and hopes colleagues on all sides will certainly stay in touch with all of this. bill neely is in london. what do you know? >> yes, i'm in central london at the moment. it does appear that this is some kind of terror incident because it does appear there were two incidents. in one a man got inside the grounds of westminster. remember, this is the seat not just the british government and parliament but of british democracy. he appears to have been armed with a knife. he was challenged by two police officers and it does appear that that is a sailant was shot by armed police. at around the same

few hundred yards away, it seems that a vehicle is being described as a 4 x 4, a vehicle that would hit with considerable force, knocked down foblly five people on westminster bridge. there are pictures on social media and video on social media of some of the people lying on the ground. we don't know what condition they are in and so far the police have not given any details of injuries or indeed of -- appears to be a double incident. at the very center of british democracy and obviously london has been subject to terrorist attacks in the past and one's mind immediately goes to paris and brussels and the other european countries that have suffered terrorism in recent years. so clearly a very serious incident or two incidents here. >> as we look at another live view, this is just

the street that leads across the bridge there. you can see the police activity. we saw what appeared to be first responders tending to individuals on the bridge itself that would be the second location. first location is the parliament itself where police took down an assailant there. no one officially that we know of has characterized this as a terrorist incident. we're certainly aware of what happened and past year in nice and also more recently during the christmas holiday in germany involving vehicle attacks and authorities around the world have tightened their security and have kept that in mind, the possibility of these kind of attacks. here you see a very up on the sidewalk there and what appears to be medical attendants dealing with people, potential casualties there on the street and sidewalk leading to the

it's mid afternoon in london right now. if you just joining us, we're watching two likely related but not clear situations unfold, there were shots fired outside much parliament and then a vehicle moved into a crowd of people on the bridge, westminster bridge. it's a very popular tourist location that people come to get a look at big ben. there you see as the camera widens out more of parliament, kelly, are you still with us? >> i am, yes. >> is this being characterized beyond just two separate incidents? >> well, officially they say they are dealing with two separate scenes here, lester and we do know this has been the fear of police for years. they've warned repeatedly t

they've talked about how many terrorist attacks they -- plots that they have foiled, not to say that this has been linked to terrorism, it absolutely has not at this point but it has that same significant as other types of attacks we have seen in other parts of europe. the question here is was this involving more than one person? was there an attacker on the bridge, which is i think what you were getting to, was there an attacker on the bridge potentially on the loose? was there someone else attacking parliament or is this the same person who is now been understand shot somewhere in or around the grounds of parliament. that we simply don't know at this point. met police have said they have closed the westminster underground train station v

that's -- if you've been to london and ridden the tube, that pops you right out at the corner of parliament square and takes you right up to the foot of far limit. so that may be an indication that perhaps they are either trying to keep people out of the area or they are trying to keep any possible suspects in or a combination of the two, lester. >> and there were reports again of a police officer stabbed at parliament. police shooting the assailant there sean again, how many other people may be involved in this is unclear. a moment ago we saw a medical ambulance outside the grounds of parliament to take some of the casualties away. we have seen par medics on both sides of the bridges, first responders, apparently tending to individuals. this is a pretty broad area because we're see being activity on both sides of the bridge as well as in parliant

clearly they are working several scenes here across the bridge. you can see the camera continues to move and people being tended to all along the bridge. traffic obviously stopped. we're told that parliament was placed in a lockdown, house of commons was in session. it was quickly suspended at the sound of shots people reporting hearing shots outside parliament. that would have likely been the police officer responding to that assailant with a knife. now you can see all across the bridge, different spots of police activity and what appears to be medical activity as well. >> if we have been to london, this is a place you have likely been to. it is a very, very popular stroll for tourists across the bridge and who want to get a view of parliament and the temz, it would have been a little after

transpired. heeshz here's a view as we look on the bridge, paramedics appeared to have set up a triage area there. we don't have a number of injured or casualties but we are just watching this play out and obviously, unfolding situation. police and metropolitan police and london getting a handle on this. obviously security throughout london would be on high alert as investigators try to get a handle on how broad this may be or whether this was limited to what we're seeing here. these two incidents in and around parliament. i'm just watching as that camera moves in. it's hard to get an idea. we heard reports that a vehicle, a truck may have plowed into the crowd. the fact we're seeing people treated h

intervals along the bridge would perhaps suggest it could have been a moving vehicle but we don't have confirmation right now. the report again, parliament in lockdown. assailant stabbed a police officer, shot by police and then police also responding to this incident on the westminster bridge that has not clearly been identified as to what happened here. >> you can see the enormous amounts of ambulances and police and tourist vehicles stopped in the middle of this. we don't know whether they were people still on the vehicles but it is likely whatever happened it was witnessed by a lot of people, not only a duck boat there in the double decker tourbuses but a lot of pedestrians would be making their way across the famous bridge this time of day to capture the sights and sounds there. we saw a medical helicopter o

was called in to take away the most serious casualties, there's first responder and helicopters moving through the frame as we continue to watch and watd and get a sense of exactly what has unfolded. the order of how it unfolded and how security forces in london may be preparing for the event you'llty that this goes beyond these locations. kelly cobiella is monitoring from the newsroom in london. what more can you add? >> well, we just got off the phone with a member of the house of lords, two chambers in the houses of parliament, the mps and house of lords. and this member said he is inside. that he and others have been told to get in their offices, to barricade themselves inside in case of another

point inside the houses of parliament. we do understand that from the house of commons leader that an officer was stabbed inside the grounds, whether it was inside the building itself, we don't know. an attacker was shot by police and the question is, if the staff and civil servants and elected officials inside that building are being told to barricade themselves inside in case of another person on the loose. the question becomes, was there more than one who got into this government building, the seat of power in london? we don't know the answer as yet. >> and what are we -- let's walk back a little bit as to the situation that has unfolded across this bridge any indication it was shots or a vehicle? what do we know? >> it now looks -- originally there was confusion,

around -- i guess it was about 40 minutes to an hour ago now, we heard that there was a firearms incident that came directly from police in london, that they were dealing with a firearms incident on westminster bridge. then we started to see the results on social media as well as the live cameras here from our local partners here showing something very different, showing some sort of 4 x 4, very large vehicle that had run into people on westminster bridge. this would have been a very crowded place at this time of the day. there would be people walking back and forth from offices on their way to meetings and then you add in the tourists. so this is the second -- second report we received, which is really from witnesses and just from the video on the ground lester, of a car, a 4 x 4 mowing down ppl

bridge. in addition to that, a reuters photographier reported seeing at least half a dozen people injured on the bridge. we're not sure if any of those people, if there was a firearm incident in addition to that, if any of those people were shot in addition to being hit by a car. but we do think the primary weapon if you will used on westminster bridge was a 4 x 4. >> the scene we're seeing now, this is the original scene as we believe, you're looking on the grounds now of parliament and first responders, we believe that would be the scene of where an officer was stabbed and another officer returned fire. this was the separate scene from what you were witnessing which was a short walk away. clint van zandt is a fbi profiler and joins us on the phone. clint, we have seen time and

terror incident, a low tech kind of incident. we saw in paris a few days ago on assailant trying to take the gun from a police officer. if this was terror related, a vehicle, ea knife, very low tec. this is something that i would suggest that cities would have a hard time defending against. >> well, very much so, lester. anyone can acquire a knife. as you have witnessed, and reported on over the last year and a half or so, we've seen trucks use multiple times and middle eastern terrorist groups advocate the use of either a knife or a truck to go into a crowd. unfor natdly this is notng new but it is without advanced information of something that's going to happen, it's very hard for law enforcement to intervene to stop something like this.

crowd before anyone can respond. of course someone holds a knife, it's up for an officer to act, react when he or she is confronted by something like this. so it's ver low tech. it doesn't take a lot of planning organization, but it can be very effective nonetheless. >> we heard kelly note the tube subway through the area has been suspended right now. when something like this happens, is it typical that they will begin looking at other places and have to assume that this is not limited to what we're seeing here? one of the great things about london, one of the most wonderful cities in the world, you and i both travel here. the camera system is so unique. i've been at scotland yard and see how they monitor the cameras. there are cameras ats every intersection and every street. one thing law

coordination with either the truck or vehicle that the individual with the knife might have gotten out of. then they'll back those cameras up. as you know, they start just like a bull's-eye on a target. they start with the incident took place then start backing up, both with the investigation as well as their review of cameras and they'll do the normal things that the fbi or police departments would do, they'll look at the license, the fingerprints of the individuals, trying to develop is this a wider net. and it's important right now, if these two events were in fact linked, are there any other events going to take place? i would suggest that london metropolitan police are in a very high alert right now. >> i'm thinking safe to assume that alert is probably certainly being noted in this country as well as other capitals and cities as

the westminster bridge. and paramedics and medical attendants treating unknown number of casualties there. we're approaching the bottom of the hour. if you're just joining us, let's recap where we stand. there are two unfolding an assailant tried to stab a police officer at parliament while the house of commons was in session, was shot, people reported hearing shots outside of parliament. there appears to be a separate scene there a short distance away, the bridge you're seeing there, westminster bridge, there's been an incident that may have involved a truck plowing into individuals. we have seen a number of people treated on both sides of the bridge and air ambulance on the scene, we have seen ambulances and people taken away on stretchers. kelly

recap what we know right now, kelly. >> all of this started about 50 minutes ago, lester. it was 2:40 in the afternoon, british time. it would have been busy afternoon right in the heart of london. the first reports that came in around 2:40 were of an incident on westminster bridge. this is the bridge we keep seeing in these pictures, that leads straight to far limit, crosses straight to the steps of parliament. the initial reports were of a firearms incident on that bridge according to met police. what we've subsequently began to hear into crowds on that bridge, it will sound familiar because that's exactly what happened in berlin and in germany and in france in the south of france and terrorist attacksth

statement. i should be very clear that this is terror related at this point. this is very much an active investigation, they aren't labeling it as anything other than a firearms incident. we understand from eyewitness reports, nothing confirmed from police, that half a dozen people, about six people were injured on westminster bridge. it could be more than that. these are preliminary numbers and then secondarily, another potential scene, a man according to witnesses brandishing a knife at the houses of parliament, threatening an officer with a knife. an officer according to one official member of the house of leader of the house of commons saying that an officer was stabbed on the parliament grounds, that that attacker was then shot. this was e

parliament. full building, people inside have been told to shelter in place to take in offices and barricade themselves inside in case there are other potential attackers inside that building. parliament has been locked down and work stops. the prime minister is said to be safe and at work. her exact location undisclosed at this time. that's where we stand. >> kelly, thank you. we want to know president trump has been briefed on what is known so far about these incidents in london as the camera widens out. we want to go to bill neely making his way closer to the scene. bill describe what london is like right now as you make your way there? >> the streets are beginning to empty and an ambulance has gone past me at

police are pushing people back to the immediate westminster area. adding to all of the caution that kelly has outlined, the westminster area is extremely well secured. it is usually teaming with armed police protecting the houses of parliament and it is a very long time since there was a terror incident there. i recall it was in the 1980s, when a conservative mp, a friend of the late margaret thatcher was blown up actually when his car rigged with explosive detonated as it exited the houses of parliament. that is roughly the same area where this assailant is set to be armed with where a knife is taken down by police officers. as kelly as rightly said, we should exercise caution.

word terror. there are two incidents it would be a huge coincidence if they weren't related. we can't necessarily relate that. >> as you were speaking, we got word london police say they are in fact treating the westminster attack as a terrorist incident, quote, until we know otherwise. that is the way they are approaching right now and seem to be suggesting these are all one incident. you see police officers running back towards the bridge. we don't know what may be prompting the certain rush up as they make their way. appears to be a lot of activity around the car. we heard about a 4 x 4 but there's a vehicle that looks like a small suv on the sidewalk. we don't know if that is the vehicle that took aim at people as they were on the bridge. but you can see a great deal of activity

sides of the bridge. in white, you see evidence collectors who will process the crime scene and try to glean whatever evidence they have. we don't know if the same person who may have driven across the bridge, if the same person who pulled the knife inside parliament. so many questions being asked right now but obviously the first priority, treating those who have been hurt and certainly trying to assess whether this is limited to what we're seeing here or it might be part of a broader attack. as kelly noted, we have seen a number of low tech terror type incidents in recent months. nice, france, a truck in berlin, a truck into a crowd in france only a few days ago at the airport, police attacked by an assail w

of the officer's weapons. so we have seen a pattern of attacks that would take a great deal of coordination or know-how. this is being considered by metropolitan police as a terrorist incident and until they know otherwise. camera moving back across the bridge, tourist buses stopped. vehicles on the bridge stopped. we presume these people have been evacuated but many of them will also be witnesses to the apparent horror that took place on the westminster bridge this afternoon, we have noted this is a very, very popular tourist -- >> i can add something to that if you want. >> yeah, go ahead. >> just worth noting that a few years ago, two assailants in a car knock d down a man who turned out to be

of those assailants rather brutally murdered that man and brandished the machete to cameras who turned up. i know, that was a clear terrorist incident against a man who was a british soldier. we don't know what the motivation of the person or people involved in this incident was but as you've noted we've seen it before and we've seen it in israel and seen it where people brandishing knives attack soldiers, we've seen it in nice using a vehicle. this is -- the very easy way that people of a certain persuasion can kill in the modern day. >> bill, we have certainly seen over the last few years, a series of terror incidents in the central europe. but -- and notwithstanding the incident you mentioned there, has london -- has

safer, not other reason having a body of water between them and the rest of europe? >> two things. you're absolutely right that there is a body of water. the anti-terror police and indeed mi5, the domestic intelligence services, foreign intelligence services, you know have been tracking numerous terror plots but also, people in the uk remember the bombings on the 7th of july and indeed the day after london olympics, bomb igs that killed more than 50 people. a lot of people in london have been wondering not if they were going to be attacked again but when. they looked across paris and brussels and braced for similar attacks. london endured decades of ira terrorism in the 1970s and 1980s.

incidents but you know, as citizens in that jerusalem and tel aviv have discovered you don't have to have explosives and how a mercury tilt switch device works to be terrorist. you can use a knife or a man with a machete and create terror. so people in london are i think shocked today and we are all of us i think braced looking around wondering is this the only incident or rather like the paris attacks when there were four separate locations is there more to come. there's plenty of evidence of police on the streets right now. i'm looking at them who will be braced for more. lester? >> bill neely thanks as we watch that medical

from the lawn in front of parliament possibly taking a casualty away from the scene. and the police activity that extends from parliament across the westminster bridge from vehicles of what we believe is a vehicle attack, the attack on the parliament grounds themselves was a knife attack, police responding with gunfire. kristen welker is at the white house. what is the white house saying? >> the white house confirming the president has been briefed. this started to unfold as the president was holding a meeting with women about health care. that was the big focus here at the white house this morning. ahead of that big vote that's expected on capitol hill tomorrow and republicans plan to repeal and replace obamacare, now it's going to shift. the president asked about this hif

news and i think we have a little bit of what president trump had to say moments ago. >> just getting an update on london. big news having to do with london that just happened. >> lester, having covered the white house for several years, i can tell you that the president will continue to get updates throughout the day from his national security team. they will monitor this situation very closely. i was back in the west wing and i can tell you that top officials huddled trying to get the latest information on exactly what is happening right now and of course the united states has no closer ally than britain. in fact, president trump met with the prime minister of britain, theresa may, back in january. to i would expect that we're going to see phone calls take place at the highest lev

the white house continues to monitor this ongoing situation, lester. >> kristen welker at the white house where they are paying close attention to this as they are in cities likely across europe and across the world here as this appears to be a terror attack. that's how metropolitan police in london are characterizing it right now until they get information to the contrary. you can see the littered scene there along the westminster bridge of where paramedics have been treating victims of this attack. we don't have a number right now. it sounds like -- maybe we had a witness there. i guess they cutaway from it. if we hear from someone we'll get to it. early indications there's many as half dozen people on the bridge but that is not confirmed by the metropolitan police. there was apparently a vehicle involved. we don't know if it's that gray van there. hard to know right now where that vehicle

but a lot of activity right there. i believe we have bill bratton with us right now, former new york city police commissioner and nbc security analyst. are you with us? >> yes, i am. good morning. >> good morning, this is -- i know this is the fear of every police department, a low tech attack. i know on the job you had to worry about everything from nuclear attacks to plane attacks but something like this is there a defense? >> actually, there is but the reality is that there's no perfect offense. the saint patrick's parade, all of the cross streets going to the parade were basically block t ed off by a heavy duty dump trucks that the city has. it's a precaution we never used in years past but routinely now use. one of these inspired eye vents about encouraging an individual to use a knife gun or car

everything coming out of there law enforcement source information, it's very preliminary, it looks like it was a deliberate driving of a vehicle into a group of people. suspect attempts to flee the scene and is being counted as what would be metropolitan police officers in the vicinity of the parliament building, right there at the westminster bridge. at least one of those officers fired until the suspect still undetermined the last information i have a few moments ago, as to whether there was a law enforcement officer stabbed in that incident. it seems to be up in the air at the moment. >> that's one of the early reports we have and as you certainly know, early reports are not always the most accurate. >> everything is preliminary. you always start off with preliminary. >> i know that in new york city, obviously new york city has dealt with the real thing but certainly preparing for this sort of thing is a daily

occurrence. on may wy way here i saw new yo city tactical teams at one of the landmark locations in the city. it is part of life and the expectation of these sort of things, isn't it? >> in new york city particularly, that new york residents tourists alike, you cannot not notice the police during night time. we increased by almost 1400 the number of specially trained officers with the heavy weapons and the arment and specialized vehicles at any given time in new york city there's quite a few of these officers visible at all times. as just done this morning as a result of what happened in london, going on high alert and number have been positioned around government buildings and the city always concerned about the copycat or the idea this might be part of a larger series of events planned for multiple cities. in new york we're very fortunate that resources were provided over thet

allow for that expansion and it's appropriate. the world was changed draw mattically and inspired type of attack is the one we're most fearful of. >> bill bratton, if you can hang i appreciate it. may be familiar to our viewers as someone we rely on for information about the royals. i understand you were a witness to some of the activity. can you tell us where you are and what you've seen? >> lester, yes, i was in the very bottom addition to the traditional houses of parliament that viewers will be familiar with and basically it's an nexed by a corridor which is outside and people walk to it to get to the main chamber where we see the prime minister and quite earlier today that's where it was taking place. i was in this modern building next door and heard gunshots and absolute commotion and people beingor

and everyone in westminster has coffee and the call went out to run, run, run. we then run to the back of the building and likely commotion outside. an immediate police presence through the brass doors at the end because we can see out from the bridge and seemingly something going down past the escalator. and obviously having now been in a lockdown situation we're trying to get information in that but we understand that there -- the bridge very close just walked throughout the building because the police have been ushering us to get further and further into safe. and enormous police presence on the bridge. iconic london stopped in their tracks. but the air ambulance, we understand -- allegedly being stabbed and obviously the

now on lockdown. >> were you able? you indicated that you were aware of something happening on the bridge. was anyone able to see out the window and see exactly what was taking place? >> not from where i was, we were at the back of the building but the building is an atrium and made of glasses. it's the main entrances and from there we can clearly see a major police presence. usually that's cars running past and tourists and almost within minutes really of the gunshots beg heard and people being told to run, run run, the entire area became a lockdown. we can very easily see that there's been a complete lockdown of that area. we know that the station has been closed and we know from just being in westminster everyone is being told to move away from where the incident happened and go to the safety of their offices, at the moment i've been m

building that is just been assured by police spokesman here amounts to the gathered and worried crowd that we all face here and building surrounded. getting the impression at the moment, that perhaps there is an ongoing element here. >> you're essentially in lockdown and not free to leave the building right now. >> yeah, everybody who has been inside the precinct of the houses are parliament, old building and some of the newer buildings are all in lockdown and police completely surrounded the entire area. no getting in or out. >> with reference to the lawmakers, the house of commons was in session, they are being kept in the same area? >> yes, all of the lawmakers will have been told probably the same advice go to safety of offices. obviously wednesday is a busy day in parliament. article 15 next week, lots of action here anyway as we go to rece recess. so there's a sense it's a

populated time to be in westminster on this particular day having literally being in chambers doing the weekly questions hours ago and people have had to be moved to positions of safety from where the main incident happened, a matter of meters from where i'm safe. let us know if the situation changes there. u.s. department of defense and also with the cia, jeremy, would there be any kind of intelligence that would point to something like this or might this be as brill bratton noted one of those inspired attacks that don't pop up on the radar? >> look, what the british secret service mi45, the internal security service is doing right at this hour with new scotland yard, tearing apart any potential evidence that they have. they are looking at the vehicle.

fingerprints an any other information from the alleged assailant that was shot. they are going to scour social media and look at any claims of responsibility that isis or any other known terror groups have put out there on the internet. so they are going to look at any potential threats that have indicated an attack on london and attack on parliament or an attack on these particular targets. we should note, lester, that this apparent terrorist attack and again, at this hour it's not fully confirm d it is a terrorist attack, that this comes one day after the uk joined the united states department of homeland security in issuing a terror warning about aviation security about flights emanating from the middle east. the uk did join that terror alert and threat and basically banned certain electronic devices from the aircraft. we don't yet know whether or not this attack is in any way either linked to that terror

stream or potentially a response to the actions by the government. it's too soon to tell. i think what people are focusing mostly on now is the fact that isis has in the past particularly in 2014, directed all of its followers, to take any measure at all to attack quote the disbeliever. they said in their published statements, you should run over them with a car or stab them with a knife. we've seen those stabbing attacks before. we've seen the horrific car ramming i want dent that claimed the lives of 73 people in nice, france last year. to a counter terrorist official in the british secret service and mi5 or here in our own american intelligence agencies this has the hall marks of a terrorist attack but we don't know what the particular motives are. >> metropolitan police calling it a terror attack until they get information otherwise. but you have been on the inside jeremy when these things happen in europe. what does that trigger in washington? what is probably

now in this country? >> well, first i think the main locust of activity is the national counterterrorism center in the washington, d.c. suburbs, they have the lead to take all information in the government, all open sourced information and information that isis has put out online and any classified intelligence that's in the holdings of the national security agency or the cia or any of other agencies, pull it together and figure whether or not anyone has claimed responsibility. if there's any information on these alleged assailants and any potential links back to known terror groups including isis and al qaeda. we should not forget about al qaeda, most people do focus on isis. al qaeda remains a very potent terror threat. that's the work of the national counterterrorism center here in washington, d.c. suburbs, they are pulling together all of that information and will brief it up to the chain to the national security council and talk to r

throughout the middle east and europe. one of the things that happens in a situation like this, counter dsz terrorism experts who get on the phone on secure lines, very quickly and often times throw up a video teleconference of people with any information about this and share any tidbit of information they have that can lead them to analyze this threat and potentially protect other areas from future threats. >> all right, jeremy bash, thank you. as we've been watching and you've been speaking, we're still seeing injured, casualties being taken from the scene. police and fire and paramedics set up a robust triage setup there. we have seen what appear to be injured people all along the length of the westminster bridge leading to parliament where we got the initial indication of shots fired. mid afternoon there in london and then words of a vehicle that apparently was plowing through the crowds of people on the bridge itself. you can see the famed double decker bus

happened. there's a photograph taken earlier here, photos we're just getting in of people on the sidewalk, on the bridge who were apparently victims 6 this vehicle that plowed through the crowds. we don't have a number right now. early indications again that there was -- this began with a knife wielding assailant on the grounds of par limtd and he was shot by police -- the parliament placed on lockdown and again these are first images we're getting of people who have been injured. this is obviously right after it happened because it's before you see any paramedics at the scene. here's a shot of paramedics rushing to the scene. and police and security now moving towards parliament as they begin to secure the area. again, they have to assume that the attack or whatever is happening is broader than just what we're seeing here, that this might reach into other areas of london.

there's the front of the vehicle that this may be the vehicle that drove into the crowds. you can see the damage the dama vehicle. we were told it was a 4x4 that had crashed into the crowds of people. let's go back to kelly cobiella who is monitoring the situation. what else are you hearing? >> we're starting to get some information and some eyewitness accounts from people who were at the houses of parliament. you just spoke to one of our contributors mostly on royal stories. we're also hearing from a man who we work with quite often who was on the ground at the time. he heard something happening on westminster bridge, but didn't actually see it it. the first thing he saw was a heavy set man running toward the gates leading into parlment. the

traffic. the eyewitness ran in through the gates holding what looked to be a knife, attacked a police officer with that knife and the police officer fell to the ground. managed to get away from him and he ran toward the entrance to the house of commons, which is the part of parliament used by the members. he was then shot by police. it's not clear how many times he was shot, but we do hear from the house of commons leader this he was shot by police. that has not yet been confirmed by the met police. so two separate incidents, lester, as you mentioned. this incident on westminster bridge and then the incident at the houses of parliament. it is entirely possible that it was -- that it all took part with one attacker who drove across the bridge into crowds, gout

the gates at the houses of parliament. lester? >> are you hearing anything in terms of the number of casualties on the bridge? >> kelly, you still with me? we lost kelly there. but we continue to watch paramedics on the scene right now. . they have been treating the casualties. there was an initial report of six but we saw the still photos of a number of people on the sidewalks down who had been hit by this vehicle. you see some of the early photos here before help had arrive d. people on the pavement, on the sidewalk, and they are still treating them now late afternoon there in london. how this relates to the assailant and whether it's the same person at parliament is the big question right now. we heard from our correspondent bill neelyha

we'll continue to follow this story as details warrant. we'll come back on the air and full coverage to be the on "nbc nightly news." i'm lester holt in new york. good day.one. we're live in five, four, three, two, one. you will know what i deal with every night. >> actually i don't. >> that's really insensitive. your kid is not out there -- >> i won't do it. >> haven't talked about anyone. >> i won't. >> and defend or serve the public [ bleep ] for that. >> okay. >> i'm sorry. >> it's all right. >> whoa. >> can you feel the drama? >> wow. >> today we will begin to show a little housewife insanity. buckle up at home because "real housewives of beverly hills" apparently delivered big last night. >> oh, yeah. i mean we will talk to anthony ramos who is our "housewives" guru and has