A young man has been taken into custody on suspicion of multiple murders after allegedly stabbing two teenagers to death and fatally injuring another man.
The shocking, senseless killing spree took place in Nottingham on Tuesday morning when a 31-year-old man dressed in black ambushed and stabbed two teenagers who were on their way home after a night out.
The teens have since been identified as 19-year-old hockey star Grace Kumar and her 19-year-old friend and cricket star Barnaby Webber.
After brutally killing Kumar and Webber in an unprovoked attack, the suspect escaped and killed a man in his 50s.
The attacker then stole a van before proceeding to plow into three people using the vehicle. One of the three victims, a man, remains in critical condition.
Police have since apprehended the 31-year-old suspect who is facing three counts of murder on top of other charges.
Meanwhile, tributes to the young cricketer and hockey player began flooding the internet with friends and family expressing grief over two incredible souls gone too soon.
“He was just walking home from a club like we all do and got unlucky five minutes away from home,” a friend of Webber said.
“RIP Barney. You are always loved and got a special place in my heart xx,” another wrote.
“Young cricketer gone far too soon,” former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan added.
Another friend of the pair confirmed that Kumar and Webber were ambushed just minutes from the teen’s home.
“Barnaby was a friend of mine. He was just walking home from a club like we all do they just got unlucky. They were five minutes from home and stabbed by some random guy,” she said.
The police have yet to establish a motive for the senseless killings and a counter-terror team was reportedly deployed to get to the bottom of the bloody incident.
The sold suspect remains in custody and the authorities believe the public is not in immediate danger.
“I want to thank those who live and work in our city for their patience and understanding in incredibly difficult circumstances. We will, of course, keep the public updated as soon as we are able to say anything further,” Chief Constable Kate Meynell said.
“This is a very sad day for our city and we will do everything possible for the victims and their families.”