London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is monitoring developments as a man was arrested as a series of attacks unfolded in the central England city of Nottingham Tuesday, where three people were killed and another three injured in what the local police have declared as a “serious incident”.
The details remain sketchy, and it is uncertain if there is any terrorism link to three separate incidents being treated as linked by the police. They involve two people found dead on one street and the third victim found dead on another street of the city in the early hours of Tuesday.
In the third incident, a white van attempted to run over three people on a different street nearby, and those three victims remain in the hospital after suffering injuries.
“I want to thank the police and emergency services for their ongoing response to the shocking incident in Nottingham this morning. I am being kept updated on developments,” tweeted Sunak.
“The police must be given the time to undertake their work. My thoughts are with those injured and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives,” he said.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman also took to Twitter to express her shock and said she was in contact with the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police.
“I am shocked & saddened that three people have lost their lives today in Nottingham. My thoughts are with those affected by this incident,” said Braverman.
Nottinghamshire Police said they have arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of murder, and he remains in police custody.
“This is a horrific and tragic incident which has claimed the lives of three people,” said Chief Constable Kate Meynell.
“We believe these three incidents are all linked, and we have a man in custody. 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. At this time, a number of roads in the city will remain closed as this investigation progresses,” she said.
The police have also appealed for anyone with information on the series of attacks. They were first called to Ilkeston Road in Nottingham just after 4 am local time, where two people were found dead in the street.
Officers were then called to another incident in the Milton Street area of the city, where a van had attempted to run over three people. Later, a man was found dead on Magdala Road – another of the roads which have since been cordoned off.
Some eyewitnesses from the scene have reported seeing a hooded man with a knife, used for stabbing. Some footage on social media appears to show a suspect on the ground next to the white van that attempted to run over three people, as officers arrest him.
PTI