Nottingham van attack investigated as major incident by police; 3 killed

Officers also responded to a third incident close by “where a van had attempted to run over three people.” They are being treated in a hospital — one in a “critical condition,” police said, the remainder with “minor injuries.”

Nottinghamshire police said they had no clear motive for the killings yet but were “keeping an open mind” and had detained a 31-year-old man on “suspicion of murder.” They are not looking for “anyone else in connection with the attacks,” they added, and “are working alongside Counter Terrorism Policing to establish the facts.”

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“This is a tragic series of events which has led to the lives of three innocent people being taken,” Chief Constable Kate Meynell said in a statement.

“We are at the early stages of the investigation and need to determine the motives behind these attacks and will keep the public updated as soon as we are able to say more,” she continued. “We are keeping an open mind as we investigate the circumstances surrounding these incidents.”

Meynell urged the public to be patient and said a number of roads in the city would remain closed, although it was now “safe” to go into the city center.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called it a “shocking incident” and thanked police for their work. “I am being kept updated on developments,” he tweeted. “My thoughts are with those injured, and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives.”

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his concern on Twitter. “We share the grief of our British friends and stand by their side.”

The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, called it “awful news” and also said his “thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives.”

Nottingham City Council Leader David Mellen announced a public vigil for the victims at 5 p.m. local time in the square near St. Peter’s Church. He told BBC Nottingham Radio, that the hospitalized victims’ “only crime was being at a bus stop early in the morning.”

Nottingham has a population of about 300,000 and sits in the country’s Midlands. The incidents occurred a short distance from the city’s university and central railway station. Images showed police had cordoned off streets in the city center, although nearby shops remained open.

“Nottingham is a beautiful city, home to brilliant people from all backgrounds,” said local lawmaker Nadia Whittome. “We are shaken by today’s events but will meet them collectively as a community and heal together.”