Nottingham: Tributes to students ‘gone too soon’ and 'fantastic bloke' killed in fatal knife and van attack

Home Secretary Suella Braverman is among those to share their tributes to the three people who lost their lives in a van and knife attack in Nottingham earlier this week.

Grace O'Malley-Kumar, 19, Barnaby Webber, 19, and Ian Coates, 65, were killed in the early hours of Tuesday (13 June), with the incident shocking the city and the country. Mr Webber, a talented cricketer, and England under-18 hockey player Ms O'Malley-Kumar were found dead in Ilkeston Road, a student area of Nottingham, shortly after 4am.

A white van then tried to run over three people in Milton Street just after, leaving one man in a critical condition and two others with minor injuries. Mr Coates, a man in his 60s was later found dead from knife injuries in Magdala Road.

Braverman visited the city to pay tribute to the three victims as a second vigil was held in their memory, while also laying flowers in tribute at Nottingham City Council. She said that it is “vital that we stand together as a country” after the attack, adding: “As I pay my respects today, I am touched by the words of tribute from family and friends, and join them to remember Barnaby, a talented student and respected sportsman, and Grace, an accomplished hockey player and promising medical student. Both with so much promise and who had already achieved so much in their young lives.

“And to Ian, a kind, dedicated and much-loved family man and pillar of the school community. Like many, I have been very moved by the messages from the loved ones of those taken.

She continued: "At awful moments like these, it is vital that we stand together as a country. We can’t let horrific acts of violence take that from us. The memory of the lives that have been taken will remain with us.

“I am also grateful to those who responded to this incident. I met with the emergency services today to extend my personal thanks to them and my thoughts at this time.”

Thousands of locals gathered in Nottingham city centre's Market Square to pay their respects, with speeches and a minute silence taking place.

Paying tribute to Mr Coates, Ross Middleton, the headteacher of the school he worked in, said: “We will all remember him with great affection. Rest in peace, Ian, and, of course, I’ll keep an eye on Forest results for you.”

Professor Shearer West, vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham, where Ms O’Malley-Kumar and Mr Webber were studying, added: “All three of these lives were cut short in the most unimaginable way on Tuesday morning, their well-earned retirement plans and bright futures brutally curtailed by a seemingly random act of violence. At the university, we held our own vigil yesterday with Barney and Grace’s families to remember them and mourn their loss.

“I was overwhelmed by the love and support that was offered to the families by more than 2,000 students and staff, who gathered together as a community. Although seemingly unconnected to these dreadful acts, we are still in the university trying to process the information that the suspect in custody was a former student.”

Nottinghamshire Police said a 31-year-old man was tasered and arrested on suspicion of murder following the deadly rampage and remains in custody. Officers were granted a further 36 hours to question the suspect on Thursday 15 June.

The city centre vigil comes after the families of medical student Ms O'Malley-Kumar and history student Mr Webber were in attendance as thousands of people gathered at the main campus of the University of Nottingham on Wednesday 14 June.

Grace’s father Sanjoy used the poignant moment to urge other students to take care of each other. He said in a speech at the vigil: “Grace and her friend they fell together, and you just need to be friends with everyone. You need to love everyone and I wish we had more of it.

"But most of all, all of you guys, everyone who’s here who Grace may not have even touched, I really thank you for being here and taking the time. I really do. It means so much to Sinead, my wife, and me. She loved being here and she loved all of you. She really did and you should all feel very blessed.

“She was so full of her stories and things that she said about all of you, and you’ve all touched her life. And hence ours. You’ll never be forgotten by us, certainly. We have children who were taken away prematurely from us, that should never happen to any parent.”

A former pupil at L.E.A.D. Academy Trust and Huntingdon Academy, where Ian used to work described him as an “amazing man” whose kind words and encouragement paved the way for the life she now leads.

Kaleigh Wylie, 35, from Nottingham, said she attended the River Leen School in Bulwell in the early 2000s, when Mr Coates was the caretaker. “Ian helped pave my life from the age of 16 and I am where I am today for the kind words and encouragement from Ian,” she told the PA news agency.

“He loved his job, he loved us children, it’s just heart-breaking.” Ms Wylie said Mr Coates would organise fishing tournaments for pupils at the school.

“Ian worked alongside Jimmy, another caretaker in the school, both very well-loved, and in his spare time Ian used to take all the lads on fishing tournaments for the school,” she said. “He never shouted, never got angry with any of us children, and we all know us children are a handful as teenagers, but he never did.

“He would talk to us, encourage us to do better with life and he always kept us out of harm’s way," she continued. “He was just a fantastic bloke.”

Ms Wylie said she was “absolutely devastated” to learn he had died in the attacks. “The best thing to come from this now is for Ian to be remembered for the absolutely amazing man and caretaker he was, and for him and the other two victims to get justice for what has happened to them.”

Speaking at the scene where Ian Coates was found fatally stabbed, his sons Lee and James Coates told reporters the school caretaker would have been on his way to work at the time of the attack.

“He was a die-hard Forest fan and an avid fisherman... He used to take under-privileged kids fishing just to get away from crime," they said. “You genuinely couldn’t find a nicer guy.”

Paying tribute to his father, Lee Coates said: “If we had to think about it, he’d be lying in a bed with us holding his hand, him dying naturally in 20 to 30 years’ time.”

“Not dying on a street because some guy decided it’s not his day today,” Lee’s brother James added. Lee continued: “He was due to retire in four months, he was still grafting... It’s rocked everyone’s world.”

James added: “He was everyone’s friend, always willing to help... Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t. None of them did, it’s a tragedy.”

Ross Middleton, Executive Headteacher, Huntingdon Academy and Warren Academy, said in a statement: “Ian was a much-loved colleague who always went the extra mile for the benefit of our children and will be greatly missed. As a school community, it will take time to process this deeply upsetting news. We wish to extend our sympathy and condolences to all those affected by yesterday’s tragic events.”

The parents of Mr Webber, David and Emma, and his younger brother Charlie, have spoken of their pain over the murder of their son as they paid tribute. In a statement to the PA news agency, the family, from Taunton in Somerset, said: “Complete devastation is not enough to describe our pain and loss at the senseless murder of our son.

“Barnaby Philip John Webber was a beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to. A talented and passionate cricketer, who was over the moon to have made selection to his university cricket team.

“At 19 he was just at the start of his journey into adulthood and was developing into a wonderful young man. As parents we are enormously proud of everything he achieved and all the plans he had made.

“His brother is bereft beyond belief, and at this time we ask for privacy as a family to be allowed time to process and grieve. We will not be making any further statements, particularly in relation to the police investigation.

“We are so proud to release these photographs, chosen by us as a family, of an amazing son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend. Thank you for your understanding, and to everyone who has supported us in this awful journey so far.”

Taunton-based Bishops Hull Cricket Club also paid tribute to the 19-year-old, who was one of its members, describing him as a “dear friend”. Mr Webber was hailed as a “key part” of the club and the statement invited family and friends to lay flowers and pay their respects at the ground.

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan also paid tribute, describing the teen as a “young cricketer gone far too soon”, while a former pupil of Taunton School posted a tribute in the Old Tauntonians alumni group on Facebook, which said he was a “wonderful young man with much to look forward to”.

Tributes have also been paid to Ms Kumar, a popular member of England hockey teams. The sport’s governing body said in a tweet: “We are all deeply saddened by the news of the tragic death of Grace Kumar in Nottingham on Tuesday.

“Grace was a popular member of the England U16 and U18 squads and our thoughts are with Grace’s family, friends, teammates and the whole hockey community at this time.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the thoughts of all in the House of Commons are with the injured and the families of those who lost their lives in Nottingham. Speaking at the start of Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, he said: “I know the whole House will want to thank the emergency services for their ongoing response to the shocking incident in Nottingham yesterday. Our thoughts are with those injured and with the families of those who lost their lives.”

Chief Constable Kate Meynell said the force is not looking for anyone else in connection with the incidents and no further arrests had been made. All three victims were found fatally stabbed in the street by members of the public, police said.

The force believes the attacker then stole the older man’s van before driving it at pedestrians in Milton Street. The vehicle was stopped by officers in Maple Street before the suspect was tasered and detained, Ms Meynell said.

The police chief said the motive behind the attack is yet to be determined, but officers were keeping an “open mind” and working with counter-terror police. GB News reported the suspect was a west African migrant.

Ms Meynell said the families of all the victims had been informed and were being supported by specially-trained officers. She said in a statement: “Today there has been a shocking and tragic series of events which has led to the lives of three innocent people being taken and left another member of the public in a critical condition in hospital. My thoughts are with all the families affected by this horrific incident, and we are working extremely hard to understand exactly what has happened.

“I can tell you that a 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attacks and I can reassure the public that it is safe to visit the city centre – though there may be some road restrictions as we continue to establish what has happened.”

She added: “I want to thank those who live and work in our city for their patience and understanding in incredibly difficult circumstances. We will, of course, keep the public updated as soon as we are able to say more. This is a very sad day for our city and we will do everything possible for the victims and their families.”

A vigil was held at Nottingham’s St Peter’s Church, in the city centre, on Tuesday which was attended by hundreds of people paying their respects to those who died and those injured.

During the service, attended by mainly students from both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, those present were invited to place flowers below the altar or light a candle.

It came after witnesses gave harrowing accounts of the attacks throughout the day, with one telling the BBC he heard “awful, blood-curdling screams” and saw a “black guy dressed all in black with a hood and rucksack grappling with some people”.

Ms Meynell confirmed officers had carried out searches at several properties around the city, with cordons in place on various sections of Ilkeston Road. A terraced property on the road was under police guard, with staff at a neighbouring hairdresser saying it had been raided last year.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said “we’re in a very early stage of the investigation” when asked whether the attack could have been terror-related. She told broadcasters in Westminster: “We need to allow the police the time and the space to carry out all of their operational activity to determine the motive.

“It’s right that Nottinghamshire Police are working with Counter Terrorism Policing. But it’s also fair to say that everybody and all professionals on the front line are keeping an open mind as to what the precise motive might have been.”