Girlfriend of London Bridge terror victim Jack Merritt breaks down at vigil
The heartbroken girlfriend of London Bridge victim Jack Merritt broke down Monday as she led a vigil for those killed in the terror attack.
Veterinary science student Leanne O’Brien was comforted by Merritt’s parents as she was overwhelmed with grief while clutching a teddy bear at the emotional event in Cambridge, according to the Evening Standard.
They were joined by friends, family and local dignitaries at the morning tribute to the two killed in Friday’s terror attack, Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, who were both former Cambridge University students.
The pair was attending an event on prisoner rehabilitation when they were attacked by Usman Khan, 28, who was masquerading as a reformed jihadist. Three others were also hurt in the rampage before Khan was tackled by onlookers and finally shot dead by police.
The vigil took place as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn put aside their bitter election rivalry to stand side-by-side to pay their respects at a separate event in London.
They were joined by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who called on people to come together for a future “not defined by hatred but defined by hope, unity and love,” the Standard reported.
“The best way to defeat this hatred is not by turning on one another but by focusing on the values that bind us,” he told the vigil.
The mayor also thanked the public and the emergency services who “ran towards danger, risking their lives to help others,” according to the report.
The ceremony was led by Bishop of London Sarah Mullally, who called for a moment of silence.