Families of students killed in Nottingham attacks unite in grief at vigil

The heartbroken families of the two students killed in the knife and van attack in Nottingham have joined thousands of people for a moving vigil in their memories.

Relatives of medical student Grace O’Malley-Kumar and history student Barnaby Webber could be seen embracing as crowds joined them in their grief on the University of Nottingham’s main campus.

Barnaby’s father David told those gathered that “his heart will be with you guys forever” while Grace’s father Sanjoy told the students to look after each other.

He said: “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.”

Tributes to the 19-year-olds, both talented athletes, have poured in since they were stabbed to death as they walked home from a night out in Nottingham just after 4am on Tuesday, as well as the third victim of the violence, primary school caretaker Ian Coates, who was also remembered at the event.

In a moving speech, student union community officer Daisy Forster told the families “we will always be here when you need us”, saying that there are 38,000 students to support them.

Grant Walton, from the university chaplaincy, described the deaths as “one of those moments which we hoped we’d never encounter” while the university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Shearer West, said the lives of the victims had been “curtailed” by a “seemingly random” act of violence.

The vigil followed a series of tributes paid to the three victims of Tuesday’s attacks who were all fatally stabbed, while another three people were hurt, one critically, when they were run over by a van.

Mr Coates’ sons left tributes at the scene of his death on Wednesday, telling reporters he was “a die-hard Forest fan” and a keen fisherman who took young people from deprived backgrounds fishing to try to divert them from crime.

Lee Coates said the death of his father, who was four months from retirement, had “rocked everyone’s world”, adding: “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.

He went on: “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.”

A 31-year-old man was tasered and arrested on suspicion of murder after the trio were stabbed to death.

UoN’s vice-chancellor Professor Shearer West said Ms O’Malley-Kumar, 19, had been “thriving in her first year of study” – adding she had been “inspired to a career in medicine by work placements in a GP surgery and her volunteering for the nationwide vaccination programme during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Ms O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a “truly wonderful and beautiful young lady”.

In a statement, they said: “Grace was an adored daughter and sister; she was a truly wonderful and beautiful young lady.

“Grace was not just a sister to James but his best friend. He is completely heartbroken. As parents, words cannot explain our complete and utter devastation. She will be so dearly missed.

“We were so incredibly proud of Grace’s achievements and what a truly lovely person she was.

“She was resilient and wise beyond her years. Grace was so happy in life fulfilling her ambition of studying to become a doctor whilst playing top-flight hockey at university.

“She leaves behind devastated extended family and friends.”

Prof West said Mr Webber, also aged 19, had a “particular personal interest in geopolitics of both the USA and China” – and that his tutors recalled “his energy as a student and as fun, friendly and full of life” in his seminars.

The family of Mr Webber, who played hockey, rugby and cricket for his school and local clubs, and was a member of the combined cadet forces, previously said “complete devastation is not enough to describe our pain” – labelling his death as a “senseless murder”.

In a statement to the PA news agency, Mr Webber’s family said: “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.

“As parents we are enormously proud of everything he achieved and all the plans he had made.”

After the pair were found unresponsive in Ilkeston Road, Mr Coates was found fatally knifed in Magdala Road before the suspect is believed to have stolen his van and driven at pedestrians in Milton Street.

According to reports, the suspect was a west African migrant who had settled in the UK legally and was known to police.

It is understood the man has a mental health history.

CCTV from a residential care home 100 yards from where Mr Coates was found, appearing to show a man dressed in black attempting to gain access to a bay window, is being examined by detectives.

The footage shows someone inside the building managing to bat the man away before closing the window.

Nottinghamshire Police said the force was not contacted about the attempted break-in and had no calls about the suspect before the first stabbing.

Investigators are continuing to work with counter-terrorism police and maintain an open mind about the motive for the attack.