Westminster attack: Teacher-turned-terrorist Khalid Masood `died from shot to chest`

The carnage caused by Westminster attacker Khalid Masood was revealed today at the opening of the inquest into his own death. Four people, including PC Keith Palmer, perished at the hands of the teacher-turned- terrorist and more than 35 people were injured, Westminster senior coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox was told. Masood`s 82-second assault at the heart of UK democracy ended when he was shot by a police firearms officer after fatally stabbing 48-year-old PC Palmer. He died in hospital from a single gunshot to the chest at 3.35pm on March 22 – less than an hour after he began his `lone-wolf` assault on London. Three people were killed when Masood ploughed his hire 4 x 4 car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before inflicting the fatal wounds on the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer just inside the Carriage Gates` vehicular entrance to the Houses of Parliament. The court heard that Kent-born Masood, who had lived in Birmingham, began his assault at 2.40pm when mounted the kerb twice in a Hyundai car as he sped across the bridge. The 52-year-old mounted it a third time, crashing, and then ran into the Palace of Westminster grounds armed with two knives. Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent John Crossley, who is leading the MPS investigation under Operation Classific said Masood attacked and killed PC Palmer. He was then challenged by armed police, before being shot by an officer. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the circumstances of Masood`s death. No police officers are under criminal or misconduct investigation over the shooting. The IPCC`s investigator Christopher Lovett told the court its inquiry into the shooting will look at “organisational learning” and will highlight good practice. Dr Wilcox, who adjounred the proceedings, said she extended her sympathies to Masood`s family “who are also victims”. An inquest into Masood`s four victims – PC Keith Palmer, 48, American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, and college worker Aysha Frade, 44 – was opened and adjourned by Dr Wilcox on Wednesday. One further person remains in hospital in a coma, suffering extensive injuries, the inquest was told. Meanwhile a former employer of Masood spoke on Wednesday (March 29) of his shock at the killer’s Westminster terror strike – and spoke of his “jolly” former colleague. The man, who would only be identified as Farasat, said Masood was the “last man” he would have thought capable of committing the “heinous” crime. He worked with the terrorist when Masood was employed at the English Language Adventure School in Luton between 2010 and 2012. And Farasat said he thought he thought the killer must have been a different man with the same name when he first heard of last Wednesday’s outrage. He told the BBC: “I thought it must have been a different Khalid Masood. I was completely horrified and bewildered when I heard his name. “He was jolly. Very serious about his job. “He told me that in prison he made a firm resolve to leave the life of crime and clean himself up. He was the last man I thought would do a heinous crime.” Masood had a criminal record dating back to 1983 which led to time in Lewes Prison in East Sussex, Wayland Prison in Norfolk and Ford open prison in West Sussex. Masood`s wife and mother have both condemned the atrocity and his actions.