Detectives investigating the fatal attacks in Nottingham which left three people dead have been given a further 36 hours to question a 31-year-old suspect.
Barnaby Webber and Grace Kumar, both 19, were stabbed to death as they walked home from a night out in Nottingham just after 4am on Tuesday.
A third victim, primary school caretaker Ian Coates, was found dead shortly afterwards in Magdala Road. Nottinghamshire Police say his van was then stolen and used to run over three people, one of whom remains in a serious condition in hospital.
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A 31-year-old man, now revealed to be a former Nottingham University student, was arrested at around 5.30am and he remains in police custody. The force has today confirmed that the Magistrates' Court has granted them a further 36 hours to question the man before deciding whether to charge him or release him.
Nottinghamshire Police also said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to the fact a marked police vehicle had followed the van for a short time before it was used to run over three people.
In a statement today, the force said: "A team of dedicated detectives is continuing to question the suspect and building up a strong picture of what happened that morning. This has included CCTV gathering, forensics, eye-witness accounts and searching a number of properties in the city."
Outlining detectives' understanding of the events, the force said: "We believe the suspect carried out the knife attacks on two University of Nottingham students, aged 19, just after 4am on Tuesday 13 June. Following the first attack in Ilkeston Road, the attacker then made his way by foot to a supported living complex in Mapperley Road but was denied entry. This was not reported to police at the time.
"The attacker then continued on foot to Magdala Road where he killed a 65-year-old man and stole his van. He then attempted to run over a man in the Milton Street area, who remains in a serious condition in hospital.
"He then tried to run over two other pedestrians in the Sherwood Street area who are believed to have suffered minor injuries. We have referred this part of the incident to the IOPC, as a marked police car followed behind the suspect’s van for a short distance before it collided with the two pedestrians."
Police said they detained the suspect using a taser when the vehicle was stopped. It added that they are "still working alongside Counter Terrorism Policing" and "keeping an open mind" on the motives of the attacks.
Nottinghamshire Police also revealed that the suspect is a former University of Nottingham student but added that "it is not believed to be connected with the attack".
Another vigil to remember the victims is planned for this afternoon after the heartbroken families of the two teenage victims were joined by thousands of people in their grief at the university’s main campus. Relatives of medical student Ms Kumar and history student Mr Webber could be seen embracing at the vigil on Wednesday.
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. Speaking on Wednesday with David Webber’s hand on his shoulder, Mr Kumar said: “Everyone here I really, really want to thank you for your support, for taking the time to be here. All of you guys, everywhere that I see, a sea of people, such a lovely sign of the university and the bond you have."
Nottingham City Council announced that a vigil will be held in the Old Market Square on Thursday from 5.30pm, with a minute’s silence at 6pm from the steps of the Council House.
Meanwhile, Mr Coates’ sons left tributes at the scene of his death, 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”.
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