LONDON — Members of the House of Commons found themselves under lockdown on Wednesday afternoon after reports of a shooting outside the British Parliament. Numerous witnesses reported hearing gunfire near Portcullis House, an office building housing lawmakers and members of their staff. The Metropolitan Police in London confirmed that officers had been summoned at about 2:40 p.m. to Westminster Bridge, which crosses the River Thames next to Parliament, over reports of “a firearms incident.” The BBC broadcast images showing people, appearing to be wounded, receiving care while lying on the bridge. Inside the House of Commons, astonished lawmakers were told that they should not leave the chamber. “At the moment, the very clear advice from the police and the director of security in the house is that we should remain under suspension, and that the chamber should remain in lockdown until we’ve received advice that it is safe to go back to normal procedures,” David Lidington, the leader of the House of Commons, told lawmakers in remarks broadcast live on the BBC.

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