Victim of van attack in Nottingham rampage fights for life in hospital: Man is still in critical condition after being hit at bus stop – as witnesses tell how they saw bodies on the ground opposite McDonald’s moments after attack
One of the victims of the van attack in Nottingham is still fighting for their life after being hit at a bus stop – as witnesses told how they saw bodies on the ground moments afterwards.
The suspect knifed 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace Kumar at 4am before flagging down school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, attacking him and stealing his white Vauxhall Vivaro, it is believed.
He then drove it into pedestrians on Milton Street, injuring three people – one of whom remains in a critical condition in hospital this afternoon.
After stopping the van, officers used a Taser to arrest the driver. A 31-year-old man – believed to be a West African migrant with a history of mental health issues – was detained on suspicion of murder and is now in custody.
Today, a man recalled walking up to McDonald’s on Milton Street to find one of the victims of the van attack on the pavement. ‘I went to buy a coffee and saw somebody lying half off the road and pavement opposite,’ he told GB News.
The suspect drove it into pedestrians on Milton Street, injuring three people – one of whom remains in a critical condition in hospital this afternoon
Today, a man recalled walking up to McDonald’s on Milton Street to find one of the victims of the van attack on the pavement
‘I thought nothing of it because there are a lot of beggars and other people in the area and I thought they’d just collapsed.
‘Five minutes later one of the cleaners said there had been a hit and run.
READ MORE – Chilling moment ‘black-clad triple murder suspect tries to break into homeless hostel during Nottingham rampage
‘It was ten minutes before the police got here and all of a sudden they had cordons up and there was a lady policewoman with a machine gun.’
A second witness, Frances, said she was on her way to work at around 5.30am when ‘all of a sudden’ she heard a ‘bang’ which sounded like a car hitting a bollard.
She said she had just got off a bus and was heading over to the market square where she crossed the road at Theatre Royal and then heard the collision.
‘I turned around and then saw the two people on the floor, on the road,’ she told Sky News. Someone was screaming, I think a gentleman ran over to help as well.
‘The van was still there, and then moments later the van took off and then the police arrived. I ran over to see how the two people were, just to see what I could do to help.
‘There was a male and a female. The female – she could speak, she was in pain from the impact of hitting the ground. She had hit her head as well. She was still able to speak.
‘The gentleman, I think, took the full brunt of the van, and he had head injuries but was still awake, he didn’t lose consciousness at that stage.’
The suspect knifed 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace Kumar at 4am before flagging down school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, attacking him and stealing his white Vauxhall Vivaro, it is believed
After stopping the van, officers used a Taser to arrest the driver. A 31-year-old man was detained on suspicion of murder and is now in custody
On reflection, she said she did not realise what was happening at the time: ‘I thought it was just a hit-and-run.
READ M0RE – Father of medical student, 19, knifed to death in Nottingham rampage is hero doctor
‘I went to work, and then I started hearing more, that three people had been potentially killed and that a third person had been injured as well.’
She said: ‘It’s quite shocking. You are on your way into work, it’s the last thing anybody wants to be seeing or dealing with.’
Nottinghamshire Police confirmed to MailOnline at midday today that one of the victims of the van attack remains in a critical condition.
It comes as Mr Coates was named as the third victim of yesterday’s attacks.
He is believed to have been driving to work at Huntington Academy, a local primary school, when he was stabbed before being left lying on the pavement.
Mr Coates’ body was found by a passerby at 5.30am on Magdala Road, two miles away from where the students were killed on Ilkeston Road.
Ian Coates was stabbed to death in the early hours of yesterday some time after the same attacker fatally knifed two students
Barnaby Webber, 19, with his younger brother Charlie. His family today told of their fury at his ‘senseless murder’
The killings prompted police to lock down Nottingham city centre over fears of a marauding attacker.
READ MORE – Triple murder suspect ‘refuses to answer questions’ as he’s quizzed by police over attacks
The suspect remains in custody today, where he is reportedly refusing to answer questions from police.
The 31-year-old, who is believed to have arrived in the country as a teenager and is not thought to be a refugee, was known to police but does not have a criminal record, according to sources.
The man, who has settled status, is believed to have lived in the UK for over a decade and was described by neighbours as a ‘very quiet guy’, the Telegraph reported.
There are also unconfirmed reports that the suspect recently converted to Islam and started attending an Islamic centre close to the scene. He is also understood to have a history of mental health issues.
It has been suggested that the investigation is turning away from terror and instead focusing on the suspect’s mental state – although Nottinghamshire Police has insisted they are keeping an open mind.
Grace Kumar, 19, was one of two University of Nottingham students who was stabbed to death while walking home after a night out at 4am yesterday
Source: Read Full Article
