London attack: Khalid Masood 'died from shot to chest'

The inquest into Masood's death was opened at Westminster Coroner's Court

Westminster attacker Khalid Masood died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, an inquest has heard.

No police officers were under criminal or misconduct investigation over the shooting, the police watchdog said.

Masood drove his car into pedestrians, killing three people, before fatally stabbing a police officer on 22 March.

Masood died at the scene after being shot by police. His inquest was opened at Westminster Coroner's Court and adjourned to May.

• Who was attacker Khalid Masood?

• Victims of the Westminster terror attack

• London attack: What happened?

The court heard that Kent-born Masood, who lived in Birmingham, mounted the kerb twice in a Hyundai car as he sped across Westminster Bridge.

When the 52-year-old mounted it a third time, he crashed the vehicle and then ran into the Palace of Westminster grounds armed with two knives.

Senior investigating officer John Crossley said Masood had been challenged by armed police, before being shot and killed by an officer.

In total Masood's attack lasted just 82 seconds.

Four people died during the attack in Westminster

The Independent Police Complaints Commission's investigator Christopher Lovett told the court its inquiry into the shooting will look at "organisational learning" and will highlight good practice.

Westminster coroner Fiona Wilcox 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.

At the inquest

By Danny Shaw, home affairs correspondent

Unlike the inquest hearing for the four victims of the Westminster attack, which was attended by about seven or eight of their relatives, there were no members of Khalid Masood's family present.

Police investigators, staff from the coroner's office and officials from the Independent Police Complaints Commission filled the benches at the front of the oak-panelled courtroom, with about 20 reporters sitting further back.

The senior police officer in charge of the counter-terrorism inquiry spoke first, confirming the details of what happened, before the IPCC investigator outlined the terms of their inquiry.

Like most initial inquest hearings, the proceedings were short - it was all over in 12 minutes.

But after the enormity of last week's events, and the huge repercussions they will have for so many people, it all felt a little anti-climactic.