Nottingham: Three killed, three injured in city centre attacks

Three people have been killed - and another three injured - in connected "horrific and tragic" attacks in Nottingham.

Two people, believed to have been stabbed, were found dead by police in Ilkeston Road just after 04:00 BST.

Officers were then called to Milton Street where a van had attempted to run over three people.

Police, who have arrested a man on suspicion of murder, later found a man dead in Magdala Road.

The 31-year-old arrested man is in custody and several police cordons are in place in the city centre.

Amed officers also raided a property in Ilkeston Road shortly before 13:00.

Nottinghamshire Police said the three people injured in the van attack in Milton Street were being treated in hospital.

Warning: People may find some of the details in the story upsetting

Chief Constable Kate Meynell said the force believed all three incidents were linked.

"This is an horrific and tragic incident which has claimed the lives of three people," she said.

"This investigation is at its early stages and a team of detectives is working to establish exactly what has happened.

"We ask the public to be patient while inquiries continue."

An eyewitness told the BBC he witnessed a young man and young woman being stabbed in Ilkeston Road, close to the junction with Bright Street, at about 04:00.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "Being a hot night, I had the window open and I just heard some awful, blood-curdling screams.

"I looked out of the window and saw a black guy dressed all in black with a hood and rucksack grappling with some people. It was a girl, and a man or boy she was with - they looked quite young.

"She was screaming 'help!' I just wish I'd shouted something out of the window 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 towards a house and didn't move. The next minute she had disappeared down the side of a house, and that's where they found her."

Carl Cassidy said he witnessed two people get knocked over by a white van while dropping his wife off at work.

"We pulled up outside the Theatre Royal and as my wife opened the car door we heard an almighty bang," he said.

"A white van was heading for my car but it swerved and missed us by inches, mounting the pavement.

"I got out of the car and saw two people lying on the ground. The lady seemed OK, she was shaken but sitting up and OK. The man who was hit harder seemed a bit worse.

"He was on the other side of the road and people were helping to put him in the recovery position.

"Police were following the vehicle but stopped to tend to the injured.

"The van drove off and within seconds three more police cars arrived at the scene."

Nic Chuter lives in Mapperley Road, close to the junction of Woodborough Road, not far from where a man was found dead in Magdala Road.

The former emergency planner said he was greeted by armed police officers as he left the house.

He said: "[The] first thing we saw this morning when I took the children to nursery was someone calling me over with a very large gun saying 'hello, what are you up to?'

"We're not able to use the car as it's being counted as part of a crime scene, so everything within the cordon is staying put."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked the emergency services and said he was being updated on developments.

"My thoughts are with those injured, and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives," he said.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was "shocked and saddened" by the deaths, adding she had spoken to Nottinghamshire Police's chief constable and was "receiving regular updates".

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also sent his "thoughts to all those affected and to the emergency services who are responding".

A damaged white Vauxhall Vivaro van and a cordon could be seen in Bentinck Road, Nottingham, which BBC Verify has confirmed is where an arrest took place.

It is not yet known if it is the same van that was involved in the incident.

A statement from the city's three Labour MPs - Lilian Greenwood, Nadia Whittome and Alex Norris - said: "Awful news for our city to wake up to today.

"Our community's thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.

"Our gratitude is with our blue light responders for their work today also."

Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen said: "Ours is an overwhelmingly peaceful and tolerant city where people get along with one another and it's incomprehensible that such dreadful violence has happened here.

"I'm grateful to the police for swiftly making an arrest and for all the emergency services responding to this tragic situation and keeping us safe."

Hayley Compton, BBC Radio Nottingham

This is normally an incredibly busy part of the city, it is where all of the buses come in.

There is a huge police presence and lots of people around wondering what is going on, trying to make their way into work, into college, into school.

It is a huge incident for the city and I have seen at least 40-50 police officers at the two cordons I have visited.

The police are talking to people, reassuring them and making sure they know where they're going. Most questions are being answered simply with "there has been a major incident".

A number of roads in the city have been closed while investigations take place. These are:

Nottinghamshire Police has set up a dedicated phone line and asked anyone concerned about a family member or friend to call 0800 0961011.

A vigil is due to be held at St Peter's Church in the city centre from 17:00.

Bishop Paul Williams said everyone was welcome to attend.

Update 28 June: This story has been updated to quote the eyewitness referring to the ethnicity of the suspect, which was originally included but had been removed in error.

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