An appeal to raise money for the family of the police officer murdered in the terror attack in London on Wednesday afternoon has raised more than $500,000 in less than 24 hours.
PC Keith Palmer, 48, was stabbed to death outside the Palace of Westminster by Khalid Masood, leaving his wife Michelle a widow aged 34 and their five-year-old daughter fatherless.
By this morning, the JustGiving online site, set up by PC Palmer’s Metropolitan Police colleagues, had become what is believed to be the fastest crowdfunding page in history.
More than 21,000 donors have so far pledged over £420,000.
A tribute on the site reads: “The Metropolitan Police Federation are raising money for the family of PC Keith Palmer, the Police Officer who tragically gave his life on 22 March as he guarded the Palace of Westminster from what is believed to have been a terrorist attack. Every day, all over London and the rest of the UK, Police Officers risk their lives to protect and defend us – in the wake of this tragedy our thoughts are with Keith’s family and all the people who are injured have lost their lives.”
The crowdfunding page was set up at 9.13am yesterday. Its initial £100,000 target was reached within five hours after 10,000 people donated.
PC Palmer was described by Prime Minister as “every inch a hero”.
Today, more details about the man who killed PC Palmer plus four other innocent victims, and who injured about 40 others, came to light.
He was 52-years-old. His original name was Adrian Elms. He was born in Kent, in the south of England, and had a violent criminal past dating back to 1983. It is not known when he converted to Islam but it is thought he may have been radicalized while working as a teacher in Saudi Arabia. He was a father of three children.