Nottingham victims named as devastated family issues tribute

The three victims who were killed in Nottingham yesterday have been named, as one family issues a tribute to their ‘beautiful’ and ‘brilliant’ son.

Three people, including two students and a man in his 60s died on Tuesday, June 13th, in Nottingham. Police closed roads to the centre, shut down the tram network, and declared a ‘major incident’.

Police said two 19-year-old students were found unresponsive on Ilkeston Road shortly after 4am and that a man in his 60s was also found dead from fatal knife injuries at Magdala Road. The suspect is believed to have stolen his van.

Three more people were taken to hospital after someone driving a van tried to run them over on Milton Street. A man is believed to be in a critical condition.

A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and detained by Nottinghamshire Police as they investigate what they describe as a ‘horrific, tragic incident’.

The family of university student Barnaby Webber, 19, have described their ‘complete devastation’ at the ‘senseless murder of our son’, saying he was a ‘beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to’.

Another victim has been named as 19-year-old student Grace Kumar, who was a first team hockey player.

And the third victim has now been named locally as Ian Coates, a school caretaker in his 60s. He was found fatally stabbed in Magdala Road. 

Barnaby’s parents David and Emma Webber, and younger brother Charlie, from Taunton Somerset, said the University of Nottingham student athlete was ‘at the start of his journey into adulthood and was developing into a wonderful young man’.

In a statement they 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.”

In a heartfelt statement following the tragedy, Vice-Chancellor of University of Nottingham Shearer West, said: “All of us at Nottingham are deeply shocked and saddened by the deaths of two of our students following a major incident in Nottingham city centre.

“I know our entire University community will join me in offering our deepest condolences to their family and close friends, as well as the other victims of the incident.

“Our thoughts are very much with them all at this incredibly difficult time. The university is supporting the students’ family and friends, as well as staff and students.

“Our security team is working closely with Nottinghamshire Police and the authorities to support the ongoing investigation into the incident.”

Nottinghamshire Police’s chief constable Kate Meynell told reporters the force was not looking for anyone else in connection with the incidents and no further arrests had been made.

The police chief said the motive behind the attack was yet to be determined, but officers were keeping an ‘open mind’ and working with counter-terror police.