Heartbroken families of Barnaby Webber, Grace Kumar, and Ian Coates who were stabbed to death at random in knife and van rampage join crowd of thousands at vigil
The families of the victims of the Nottingham attacks have come together united in their shared grief at a vigil today attended by thousands of students.
Barnaby Webber, 19, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, and Ian Coates, 65, were all killed in a knife and van rampage yesterday.
Pictures from the scene on the University of Nottingham campus show thousands mourners from all walks of life huddled together holding flowers.
In heartbreaking scenes, Grace’s father Dr Sanjoy Kumar, who previously saved the lives of three teenagers who were stabbed in a gang attack near his surgery, was pictured embracing Barnaby’s brother, Charlie.
Addressing the huge crowd, Dr Kumar thanked everyone who had come to the vigil and said it was a ‘lovely sign of the university and the bond you have’.
He remembered how Grace had loved being in Nottingham and was full of stories of her time there. After a brief pause, he added: ‘So look after each other is the big thing, look after your friends and look after people around you.’
Barnaby’s father David also spoke, saying: ‘I’m lost for words, I’ve lost my baby boy. I know Barney would be super touched by everyone here. His heart will be with you guys for ever.’
Grant Walton, from the university chaplaincy, began the vigil by saying: ‘This is one of those moments which we hoped we’d never encounter.
‘Students and staff of the university, community members and, most importantly, family and friends of precious Grace and Barnaby, some travelling many miles to be with us.’
The university’s vice-chancellor Professor Shearer West said the lives of the two 19-year-olds had been ‘curtailed’ by a ‘seemingly random’ act of violence.