First picture of Nottingham ‘attacker’ as he’s caught on CCTV trying to break into hostel after ‘stabbing students’
THE first picture of a suspect that killed two 19-year-old students and a school caretaker in his 60s in a deadly rampage can be revealed.
The man was caught on chilling CCTV footage trying to break into a homeless shelter moments after sport-star students Barnaby Webber, Grace Kumar, both 19, were killed in the horror attack.
The exclusive footage obtained by Sun Online shows a man trying to climb through the front window of Seely Hirst House on Mapperley Road, at 4.08am Tuesday morning.
School caretaker Ian Coates, aged in his 60s, was later found dead in the road just yards from the homeless shelter.
Mr Coates’ van was stolen and used to ram into three people – critically injuring one – as they waited at a bus stop in the centre of the city at 5.30am.
A man, 31, was Tasered by cops and dragged from the driver’s seat before he was arrested.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “A man matching the description of the suspect attempted to gain entry to a supported living complex in Mapperley Road.”
Officers have taped off the area as they investigate whether there is a link between the attempted break in and the horror attacks.
Officers need to work out the killer’s movements in the hour between the student’s deaths and the mowing down of three people by a man in a stolen white van.
They said: “It’s understood the suspect had been in the process of securing sheltered accommodation, which is why the facility was on his radar.”
At 5.30am yesterday a man, believed to be of West African origin, was dragged by cops from a white van that had just smashed into three people on Maple Street in the city.
One has been left in a critical condition while two others had minor injuries.
Footage captured on CCTV shows the man trying to get into the hostel at 4.08am – just minutes after cops were called when the bodies of the two students were found “in the street”.
BREAK IN
Footage shows a man dressed all in black trying to get in an open window of a bail hostel along a road just yards from where school caretaker Mr Coates was killed.
A resident of the hostel told The Telegraph: “He tried to get into my ground floor room, through the window.”
A witness said the man was rambling about wanting to see a doctor.
They said: “He tried to climb in just after 4am, he seemed confused and was rambling nonsense, he said he wanted to see a doctor, he was screaming, ‘let me in, I want to see a doctor, let me in’.
“Obviously at the time the residents didn’t know who he was, but it’s pretty to scary to think what could have happened if he managed to get in.
“Luckily the man who’s window it was woke up and punched him, he probably saved everyone’s life.”
Today part of the shelter, which houses the homeless and vulnerable, was sealed off with police tape.
Across the road a silver VW Polo is parked up, its number plates removed, and police tape draped across the windscreen.
Alex Pridmore, trustee for charity All-Saints Homeless Shelter, which runs the facility, confirmed the suspect had approached the property but said no one was harmed.
He said the man isn’t a resident and has not stayed at the property previously.
“We don’t have any idea why he came here, we have very vulnerable people here, but no one was harmed,” he said.
“The investigation is still ongoing so we won’t be commenting any further.”
The housing block is less than 100 yards away from Magdala Road, where an attacker is believed to have stabbed a van driver to death and stolen his vehicle.
The van was then used as a battering ram in a sunrise rampage.
CCTV footage shows a man in a dark sweatshirt and jogging bottoms pacing outside the shelter, his backpack propped up against the front of the property.
The man, who is black with a thick beard, appears confused.
The video shows him try to climb up to the open window before an arm punches him away.
The man, who appeared to be of muscular build, stumbled back in a confused state as the window was firmly shut behind him.
He then paused a moment before walking away from the three-storey property.
Just minutes before, around 4am, Barnaby and Grace were stabbed to death on Ilkeston Road.
The witness told The Sun: “After he realised he couldn’t get into the building he turns and looks into the camera before dropping off to the right heading towards Magdala Road.”
An hour later cops pulled a suspect from a white van after three people had been mowed down in the city centre.
The owner of the van, Mr Coates, was later found dead.
His son Lee Coates has said “I’m broken” and that he is “still in shock” after learning his dad was the third victim of an attacker’s knife and van rampage.
L.E.A.D. Academy Trust and Huntington Academy in Nottingham said they were “deeply saddened” to confirm the death of their “much-loved” School Site Manager.
Ross Middleton, Executive head of Huntingdon and Warren Academy, said: “Ian was a much-loved colleague who always went the extra mile for the benefit of our children and will be greatly missed.
“As a school community, it will take time to process this deeply upsetting news. We wish to extend our sympathy and condolences to all those affected by yesterday’s tragic events.”
Photographs of the scene showed the front of the van had been badly smashed and was covered in dents.
A black rucksack lay next to the open driver’s door.
Cops claimed the knifeman dragged Mr Coates out of the van before fatally stabbing him and jumping in the driver’s seat.
Chief Constable Kate Meynell, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “A man in his 50s was also found dead from knife injuries by a member of the public.
“We believe the suspect stole this man’s van, drove it to Milton street and at members of the public. We are working to investigate the motive behind the attack.”
What we know:
- “Major incident” declared in Nottingham and six roads closed
- Police confirm two people found dead on Ilkeston Road just after 4am
- School caretaker Ian Coates, in his 60s, was found dead on nearby Magdala Road in city centre
- Three others injured – one critically – after van tried to mow them down on Milton Street
- Witness tells of hearing gunshots before cops swarmed van on Maple Street, seeing a man arrested on suspicion of murder
- A second witness recalled the horrific moment she discovered the first victim of the attack
- Terror cops with assault rifles raid home on Ilkeston Road
- Cops reveal they’re not looking for anyone else in connection to tragedy
- It was revealed the Nottingham suspect is a foreign national with “mental health issues”
- Police say they believe the suspect stole the van before mowing people down
- Grace Kumar and Barnaby Webster, both 19, were named as victims of the attack
- Timeline reveals how horror unfolded
- Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pays tribute to victims
The suspect is a foreign national suspected to have a history of mental health problems, but who was legally living in the UK, according to The Times.
He does not have a criminal record and is not thought to have been on the radar of MI5 or counter-terror police.
However, sources say he has a suspected history of mental health issues.
A witness to the first killings told the BBC: “I had the window open and I just heard some awful, blood-curdling screams.
“I looked out of the window and saw a guy all in black with a hood and rucksack grappling with some people. She was screaming ‘help’. I just wish I’d shouted something to unnerve the assailant.
“I saw him stab the lad first and then the woman. It was repeated stabbing — four or five times.
“The lad collapsed in the middle of the road. The girl stumbled and didn’t move. The attacker walked off as calm as anything.”
‘COMPLETELY DEVASTATED’
The Sun previously revealed the white Vauxhall Vivaro Van was listed on eBay at the start of May and sold just weeks ago.
It comes as Barnaby’s devastated family described their “complete devastation” at the “senseless murder of our son”.
His parents David and Emma Webber added that he was a “beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to”.
They said: “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.”
Barney, who has a younger brother Charles, was a talented hockey player and celebrated winning the under-14 county championship with schoolmates in 2018.
Friend Dan Chanter posted the sweet picture to remember his teammate, saying: “I really can’t believe what has happened today, we had so many good laughs on and off the field!!
“You’ll be deeply missed but never forgotten…RIP Barnaby Webber.”
The two students were murdered five minutes from home after walking back from an end-of-term party at the city’s Pryzm club.
They were sports-mad first-year undergraduates at the University of Nottingham.
Speaking outside Barnaby’s grief-stricken parents’ home near Taunton, Somerset, Barney’s granddad Phil said on Tuesday: “It’s tragic.
“Barney’s parents are in bits as you can imagine.
“Everyone knows the family locally.”
Grace, a star hockey player, screamed for help as Barney was slashed on Ilkeston Road, 300 yards from their halls, at 4am yesterday.
The attacker then fatally stabbed her, before killing a 54-year-old – believed to be a tradesman – and stealing his van.
The van was then used to run over three people along Milton Street, when he smashed into a bus stop.
The vehicle was stopped by cops on Maple Street, where the 31-year-old man was Tasered and arrested on suspicion of murder.
CRICKET STAR
Grace played hockey for Southgate in London and had made it into the England squad for her age group.
Grace’s family today told MailOnline she was a “truly wonderful and beautiful young lady” and her parents and brother James are “completely heartbroken”.
They revealed she was studying to be a doctor.
Grace’s dad is Dr Sanjoy Kumar, who saved victims of a gang stabbing in Chingford, Essex, in 2009.
He helped move three knifed teens, aged 15, 16 and 17 to a makeshift trauma room in his surgery before 999 crews arrived.
The family 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.”
They said they were “incredibly proud”, adding that she was “resilient” and “wise beyond her years”.
Woodford Wells Cricket Club, in Essex, said Grace was “fun, friendly and brilliant”.
“Devastated to hear the news about former Wells Baby Belles captain, Grace Kumar,” the club Tweeted.
“A fiercely competitive, talented and dedicated cricketer and hockey player.
“Our thoughts are with Sanjoy, Sinead and James at this time and everyone who knew Grace – fun, friendly and brilliant.”
Southgate Hockey Club added that Grace was a “huge talent and much-loved member of Southgate U18’s & W1’s.”
They added: “We are shocked & devastated by the news. Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with Grace’s family, friends and teammates.”
Grace was a brand ambassador for equipment supplier Gryphon Hockey Ltd.
Director Colin Burnell said: “We are all shocked and saddened by news of the tragic deaths of Grace Kumar and her friend Barnaby Webber yesterday.
“It was our pleasure and privilege to support Grace in her hockey career. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with their family and friends at this time.”
It is understood Barney and Grace met through their shared love of hockey.
On Monday, hundreds of students went to Pryzm for its Quids In! Imma Student Get Me Out Of Here night until 4am.
SHOCKING ATTACK
A third-year student, 21, was the first person to come across the fatally wounded pair while getting an Uber home alone.
She told The Times: “We were driving past and saw this body in the road. The road was completely empty.
“At first I thought it was a mannequin but when the Uber driver swerved to avoid it I saw it was a body.
“The Uber driver called the police and I got out and ran towards the body.
“I was the first one there and I could see he wasn’t responding. He was face-up in a white T-shirt and blue jeans.
“You could see he was covered in stabbed wounds from his neck to his toes.”
Amazon delivery driver Miklos Toldi, 37, later found the body of the hijacked van driver.
He said: “I saw a body lying by the side of the road and the blood trailing down the road. My first reaction was he was a drunk.”
Another witness described how the van smashed into a bus stop in the town centre.
Witness Lynn Haggitt told Channel 4 News she saw a van hitting two people in Nottingham in the early hours of the morning yesterday.
She said: “At half past five I saw a van pull up at the side of me. It was white, all white. There was a police car behind it coming up slowly, no flashing lights.”
Ms Haggitt also told BBC News she saw a man being thrown “up in the air” after being hit by van.
“The woman went on the kerb, the man went up in the air,” she added.
Another witness claimed they heard gunshots following the tragedy.
They told GB News: “We woke up this morning at about 5:30am to what sounded like gunshots – we ran to the window and there was armed police coming out of an undercover car.
“The suspect was Tasered and dragged out by them and then arrested.”