Police granted more time to quiz ex-Nottingham student over deadly city rampage

Two students and a school caretaker were fatally stabbed in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Police forensics officers on Ilkeston Road, Nottingham, as a 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after three people were killed in Nottingham city centre early on Tuesday morning. Picture date: Tuesday June 13, 2023.
PA Wire
Josh Payne15 June 2023

Detectives have been granted a further 36 hours to question a former University of Nottingham student over a deadly rampage in the city in which three people were killed.

Talented 19-year-old students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber were found stabbed to death in Ilkeston Road at around 4am on Tuesday.

Caretaker Ian Coates, 65, who was described by his sons as “everyone’s friend”, was then found dead in Magdala Road after his van was allegedly stolen by the suspect.

Nottinghamshire Police said a man also remains in a serious condition in hospital after the van was driven at him in Milton Street.

The force has referred a further incident to the watchdog Independent Office for Police Conduct after a marked police car followed the vehicle for a short distance before it struck another two pedestrians in Sherwood Street.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct said: “We received a referral from Nottinghamshire Police on Wednesday informing us that a marked police car had been following behind the suspect’s van for a short distance at the time it collided with two pedestrians in the area of Sherwood Street in the city centre on Tuesday morning.

“We are assessing the referral to decide what further action may be required of the IOPC.”

The 31-year-old suspect was tasered and arrested on suspicion of murder at 5.30am when the van was eventually stopped.

Police revealed on Thursday that the suspect is a former University of Nottingham student, but said “this is not believed to be connected with the attack”.

After medical student Ms O’Malley-Kumar and history student Mr Webber were fatally stabbed, the attacker walked to a supported living complex in Mapperley Road but was denied entry, the force said.

Detectives are continuing to work with counter-terrorism officers and keeping an “open mind” on the motives behind the attacks.

The city is preparing for another vigil after the heartbroken families of the two student victims were joined by thousands of people in their grief at the university’s main campus on Wednesday.

Relatives of Ms O’Malley-Kumar and Mr Webber could be seen embracing at the vigil.

Barnaby’s father, David, told those gathered that “his heart will be with you guys forever”, while Grace’s father, Sanjoy, told the students to look after each other.

In a short statement issued on Thursday, the University of Nottingham said it was “devastated” that the suspect was a former student.

The statement read: “You will understand that we are unable to comment on a live investigation, however we will continue to support the police in any way we can.”

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