Victims in a Nottingham, England, stabbing attack were identified on Tuesday, and a brief history of a suspect has been revealed, shining a light on where the investigation is heading.
Students Barnaby Webber, 19, and Grace Kumar, 19, were reportedly walking home when they were stabbed by an unknown man. Webber and Kumar were nearby university students, according to Sky News, and avid athletes in cricket and hockey, respectively.
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Barnaby Webber and Grace Kumar.
The two Nottingham students who were murdered in a senseless, unprovoked attack.
They didn’t have to die.
They shouldn’t have died.
Now, they deserve justice. pic.twitter.com/Q9Qn47cMSw— Samantha Smith (@SamanthaTaghoy) June 13, 2023
Webber’s family was distraught after learning the news that they had lost their son.
“Complete devastation is not enough to describe our pain and loss at the senseless murder of our son,” parents David and Emma Webber and younger brother Charlie said in a statement. “Barnaby Philip John Webber was a beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to. At 19 he was just at the start of his journey into adulthood and was developing into a wonderful young man.”
Kumar played for an England under-18s hockey team, which remembered her as a “popular member of the England U16 and U18 squads” and said their thoughts are with her family.
Another victim, a man in his 50s, was also killed during Tuesday’s attack, but he has not been named. Police said they believe it was this victim’s van that the attacker stole and drove into three people at a bus stop. One of those hit remains in the hospital, while the other two escaped with minor injuries, the BBC reported.
The BBC said a suspect, a man believed to be of West African descent, has a history of mental health issues. This is believed to be why although counterterrorism police are assisting in the investigation, they are not running it.
Police were able to stop the van, and officers tasered a suspect before arresting him under suspicion of murder.
He is still detained by police but refuses to answer their questions, the Telegraph reported.
Police claimed the attacks happened in three different instances on Tuesday. First, two people, Webber and Kumar, were found dead in the street at about 4 a.m. local time. Shortly after, police learned that a van had tried to run three people over. Another man was then found dead on a street about 10 minutes away from the first crime scene who is believed to be the owner of the van.
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“My thoughts are with those injured, and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in the wake of the attack.
A vigil honoring the three victims was held at Nottingham’s St. Peter’s Church on Tuesday evening, which was primarily attended by people of college age. Students from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University were in attendance, the Guardian reported.
