Counter-terrorism police are responding to a series of van and knife attacks early Tuesday morning in Nottingham that left three dead.
At around 4AM on Tuesday morning, police were called to Ilkeston Road in Nottingham in the East Midlands, where two people aged 19, later revealed to be students at the University of Nottingham, were found stabbed to death. Shortly after, a driver of a stolen van attempted to run over three people in Milton Street, right in the centre of the city.
Police later determined that a man in his 50s, who was found dead of knife injuries in Magdala Road by the public, was the owner of the stolen van. One victim of the van attack is currently in hospital in a critical condition, with the two others only having received minor injuries.
The 31-year-old suspect, who was identified by GB News as being a “West African migrant with a history of violence,” was stopped on Maple Street, at which point he was tasered and detained by police officers, and is now in custody.
GB News sources confirm the suspect in the fatal stabbing of three people in Nottingham is a West African migrant with a history of violence.
GB News Home and Security Editor @MarkWhiteTV reports.
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— GB News (@GBNEWS) June 13, 2023
Speaking at a press conference, Nottingham Police Chief Constable Kate Meynell said that the van and knife attacks were a “shocking and tragic series of events.” Meynell confirmed that while officers carried out searches at addresses in the city to gather evidence, no further arrests have been made, and that they are not looking for any further subjects.
Meynell added that the police are still at the early stages of the investigation, and therefore need to determine motives. However, while they are keeping an open mind, they are currently working with counter-terrorism police on the case.
In a series of incidents that took place this morning (Tuesday 13 June), two people were killed on Ilkeston Road and a man was found dead on Magdala Road. A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Read the full statement on our website: https://t.co/9xcoc7mKB3 pic.twitter.com/jZy9LLbJUi
— Nottinghamshire Police (@nottspolice) June 13, 2023
The University of Nottingham announced that a graduation ball due to take place on Tuesday night would be cancelled. “We are shocked and devastated by the news and our thoughts are with those affected, their families and friends,” they said in a statement. One of the student victims was identified as Barnaby Webber.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked “the police and emergency services for their ongoing response to the shocking incident in Nottingham this morning,” adding that they “must be given time to undertake” the investigation. “My thoughts are with those injured, and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives,” he added.
Initially, Nottinghamshire Police tweeted about the incident, featuring a stock image of a white man being handcuffed, despite eyewitness reports noting that the man was of African descent. After receiving a severe backlash on Twitter, the police deleted their post.
An eyewitness description of the attacker:
Black man with dreadlocks and a beard.
Nottinghamshire police used a white person's arm in their recent report.
Surely they're not trying to mislead the public? https://t.co/gIHYTbbuCy pic.twitter.com/KuTR61dlAw
— Steve Laws (@Steve_Laws_) June 13, 2023
