Sole suspect Thomas Mair has been charged with murdering British MP Jo Cox and will appear in court later today, police say.
West Yorkshire Police’s Detective Superintendent Nick Wallen, who is leading the investigation, said in a brief statement that Mair, 52, had been charged with a string of crimes related to Mrs Cox’s death.
“We have now charged a man with murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon,” he said.
Mair will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court later today.
Police spokeswoman Dee Collins said they were continuing to question Mair, and that one of their main lines of inquiry was whether he was motivated by right-wing extremism.
“We are aware of the speculation within the media in respect to the suspect’s link to mental health services and this is a clear line of inquiry which we are pursuing,” she said.
“We are also aware of the inference within the media of the suspect being linked to right-wing extremism, which again is a priority line of inquiry which will help us establish the motive for the attack on Jo.”
Mrs Cox, a vocal supporter of immigration and Britain remaining in the European Union, was attacked with a knife and a firearm while campaigning in her constituency in the village of Birstall, northern England.
She died in hospital after the attack.
The 41-year-old mother of two had been on her way to a meeting with constituents at the local library at the time.
Mrs Cox was a Cambridge University graduate and aid worker before becoming the Labour MP for the constituency of Batley and Spen in 2015.
She worked with several charities throughout her career and developed a reputation for her work on immigration and women’s issues.
British Prime Minister David Cameron called for tolerance in public debate as he attended a memorial close to the spot where Mrs Cox was shot.