Heartbroken family of cricket-loving Nottingham university student, 19, who was brutally stabbed to death at random by knifeman join vigil for victims of terrifying 90-minute rampage that left three dead and another three injured
- Parents are coming to Nottingham to collect students and bring them home
- Students staying in the area say they are too frightened to go out at night
The families of the victims of the Nottingham attacks have come together united in their shared grief at a vigil in the city university this afternoon that has seen thousands of people attend.
Barnaby Webber, 19, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, and Ian Coates, 65, were all killed in a knife and van rampage yesterday.
Pictures from the scene on the University of Nottingham campus show thousands mourners from all walks of live huddled together holding flowers.
The vigil comes after some terrified students said they were now living in fear after the murderous attacks with some saying they are cutting short their summer to return home after yesterday’s horrific attack.
One student claimed there is now an ‘unsafe feeling’ around the neighbourhood and said the thought this could happen to anyone at random is ‘terrifying really’. Another argued it is ‘really scary’ that the attack was carried out in such a ‘busy part of the city’.
Nervous students today told MailOnline how their parents are coming to collect them to bring them home and those who are staying are too frightened to go out at night.
The family of Barnaby Webber have attended todays vigil in Nottingham
(left to right) brother Charlie Webber, mother Emma Webber and father David Webber, attend a vigil at the University of Nottingham
Students at Nottingham University hold a vigil for the victims of yesterdays attack
Thousands of mourners have gathered on the campus
Many have brought floral tributes for the deceased
Terrified students in Nottingham today told how they are living in fear after two of their peers were among three people stabbed to death in a knife rampage. Students and community members are pictured last night at vigil at St Peter’s church in Nottingham
Those studying at the University of Nottingham say they are cutting short their summer to return home after yesterday’s horrific attack. Students and locals are pictured at the vigil yesterday
Two 19-year-old university students and a man in his 50s were the victims of the attack. Armed police are pictured Ilkeston Road, Nottingham yesterday
A 31-year-old man arrested yesterday on suspicion of triple murder is still being quizzed by police. A police forensic officer walks near a van in a cordon on the Bentinck Road yesterday
Amelia Haxby, 19, who is studying nutrition and dietetics, said: ‘I was supposed to be going back home to Doncaster next month, but my parents called yesterday and wanted me to come back now.
‘I have to say that I’ve been here for two years and always thought of Nottingham as a safe city but what happened yesterday has really shaken me. My dad’s going to pick me up at the weekend and I’ll go back with him.
‘I’ve walked down Ilkeston Road plenty of times, even at night, but I’m going to think twice about doing that now.
‘If I do walk back, I’ll make sure I’m in a big group of people.
‘This has really devastated us as students, the two who were killed are just like us, they go to the same bars, clubs. It’s awful.
‘My heart goes out to both their families. I feel so bad for them.’
Isis Hunterman, 19, a first-year law student from Hounslow, West London, is staying in Nottingham for the summer for work but is now fearful of going out with friends and so taking extra precautions.
She said: ‘I think everyone’s feeling worried, myself, my flatmates, all of us, because what happened could have happened to any of us.
Barnaby Webber’s family today described him as a ‘beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to’
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, was one of two University of Nottingham students who was stabbed to death while walking home after a night out at 4am on Tuesday
Barnaby with his younger brother Charlie. His family today told of their fury at his ‘senseless murder’
‘I’ve walked down Ilkeston Road plenty of times late at night and was there only a few days ago.
‘The university has largely finished for the summer but a few of us, myself included, are staying here for work and to continue with internships.
‘But I’m really fearful about going out at the moment. I work part-time at a Sainsbury’s on the other side of Nottingham and to get there I need two buses.
‘But after what happened yesterday, I’m now getting cabs everywhere and when I do go out I share my location with friends so people know where I am at all times.’
Arun Kumar, 25, studying a masters degree in electronic engineering, said his family had been in contact from Bahrain after seeing the tragedy unfold in Nottingham on the news.
He said: ‘my parents called me yesterday and asked me to come home, they are really worried about me staying in Nottingham.
‘I’m a little scared as well because the two students were killed so close to where I live – in an area I thought I knew quite well.
‘Nottingham is a beautiful city and I’ve been here since September and had no problems but something like this happens and you start to wonder.
‘I’m going to travel back to Bahrain. My parents will feel a lot better.’
Many of the young people at a vigil for those caught up and killed in the attacks were emotional at St Peter’s church in Nottingham on Tuesday evening
A vigil at Nottingham’s St Peter’s Church, in the city centre, was attended by hundreds of people paying their respects to those who died and those injured
Isis Hunterman, 19, (pictured) a first-year law student from Hounslow, West London, is staying in Nottingham for the summer for work but is now fearful of going out with friends and so taking extra precautions
Arun Kumar, 25, (pictured) studying a masters degree in electronic engineering, said his family had been in contact from Bahrain after seeing the tragedy unfold in Nottingham on the news
Amelia Haxby, 19, (pictured) who is studying nutrition and dietetics, said: ‘I was supposed to be going back home to Doncaster next month, but my parents called yesterday and wanted me to come back now
Lily Janes, 18, who is studying nursing, said she too was scared.
She added: ‘I do worry because my residential block doesn’t have security.
‘I was supposed to go out tonight to an event they have in Nottingham every Wednesday called Crisis. But I’m not going now.
‘My mum and dad back in Manchester are worried and have sent me some money to get Ubers everywhere so I don’t walk anywhere but I don’t want to risk going out at night – particularly at the moment – and I’m staying in.’
A source at the University of Nottingham said the city would become like a ‘ghost town’ in the coming days as fearful students return home early for summer.
The official, who asked not to be named said: ‘A lot of the students went home yesterday after what happened and more are leaving today and throughout the week.
‘By the weekend, this area will be a ghost town. Students are genuinely frightened after two of their friends were murdered – even though the police have a suspect and there doesn’t seem to be any further risk.
‘You have to remember that a lot of them are still teenagers, barely out of their childhood, and many won’t have experienced anything like this. There is a lot of shock and a lot of fear.’
Barnaby Webber, a university student, was killed in the attacks early on Tuesday morning
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19 was a rising star in the hockey world, who played for England’s U16s and U18s
Student Amelie said she ‘terrifying’ incident happened ‘practically on the road right outside my accommodation’. She was out with friends at the time of the attack.
She told BBC 5 Live Drive yesterday: ‘Everyone is a bit shook by it. It will take a while for everyone to get back to normal.’
Nottingham Trent University student Amelie says she has been thinking about how so many students were walking home when the suspect attacked and how ‘it could’ve been them’.
‘You never really know,’ she said. ‘The fact that it wasn’t targeted as well, I think that just shows how you can never really feel as safe as you want to feel.’
Another student, noting how it is a ‘scary time to be a student here’, shared how the attack was carried out in an area often frequented by students.
They told The Guardian: ‘If I were to walk back from a night out to either my house now or to my first-year accommodation, I would need to walk down Ilkeston road where this horrifying murder has occurred. Truly a scary time to be a student here.’
A Nottingham University graduation ball for scheduled for yesterday evening was cancelled, with many students gathering instead to light candles for the victims during a vigil at St. Peter’s Church.
The vigil was attended by hundreds of people paying their respects to the victims.
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.
Hundreds of young people were among those to pay their respects, many of whom were emotional
People comfort one another at a vigil in Nottingham yesterday after the death of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and a man in his 50s
Students attend a vigil in Nottingham for the two 19-year-olds and man in his 50s who were killed on Tuesday
Candles are lit and flowers laid at St Peters’ Church in memory of the victims of the attacks
Meanwhile, friends and family are remembering the two younger victims as talented athletes with a passion for life.
Mr Webber’s parents and brother said he 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,’ the family, from Taunton in southwest England, said in a statement.
‘Complete devastation is not enough to describe our pain and loss at the senseless murder of our son.’
Ms O’Malley-Kumar also played cricket and had played field hockey for England youth teams.
Woodford Wells Cricket Club near London said she was ‘a fiercely competitive, talented and dedicated cricketer and hockey player’ who was ‘fun, friendly and brilliant.’
Police are working today to piece together details of the attack which saw Mr Webber and Ms O’Malley-Kumar stabbed to death in a street near student housing before dawn yesterday.
A specialist Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officer on patrol on Ilkeston Road in Nottingham on Tuesday
Grace, a high-flying hockey player, is understood to be from north-east London
Barnaby (right) had travelled home from Nottingham only last month to play cricket for a local club, Bishops Hull
Officers say the suspect also killed a man in his 50s more than a mile away, stole his van and ran down a group of pedestrians. Three people were hurt, one critically, in the hit-and-run.
The slain owner of the van was Ian Coates, a school caretaker. His employer said he was a ‘beloved and respected’ staff member at a Nottingham primary school.
Police subdued the suspect with a stun gun nearby and detained him on suspicion of murder. Police said they believe the attacker acted alone and were working with counter-terrorism officers to try to establish a motive.
The attack has not been labelled terrorism by the authorities, and police are investigating issues including the suspect’s mental health.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, is reportedly originally from West Africa and has lived legally in Britain for many years. It is understood that he did not have a criminal record.
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