A man has been charged with the murders of three people who were stabbed to death in Nottingham on Tuesday morning, and with attempted murder for allegedly running down three pedestrians with a van, police have said.
Valdo Calocane, 31, of no fixed address, was charged after being arrested by police on suspicion of murder shortly after the attacks.
Nottinghamshire police said their officers found two 19-year-olds who had been stabbed to death in Ilkeston Road at around 4am on Tuesday. Both were students at Nottingham University. Calocane is charged with the murder of Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber.
Police said both were found “unresponsive” in the street when officers came across them after being called by members of the public.
Calocane is also charged with the murder of a third person, school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, who was also found stabbed in in Magdala Road, following calls to police from members of the public.
Earlier this week, police said that his van was stolen and later driven into pedestrians, injuring one man seriously and leaving two others with injuries.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust on Friday said two patients were now stable and one had been discharged after being hit by a van on Tuesday morning.
The three attempted murder charges laid on Friday against Calocane relate to the alleged van attacks, and all charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Police previously said that a man aged 31 was arrested at around 5.30am on Tuesday after a van was stopped on Maple Street, Nottingham.
Calocane will appear on Saturday before Nottingham magistrates court. The seriousness of the charges mean the case against him will be sent to a crown court.
Hundreds turned out for vigils to remember the victims of the alleged attacks, leading to moving speeches by the relatives of those killed.
Holding back tears, Grace’s father, Sanjoy Kumar, said on Wednesday: “The love that we have out here, I just wish we had it everywhere … Look after each other. Look after your friends. It’s so important. Grace and her friend, they fell together.”
Barnaby’s father, David Webber, told the crowd: “I’ve lost my baby boy and I can’t even comprehend how I’m going to deal with it.”
He added that his son had adored his time in Nottingham: “He loved it here, he couldn’t wait to come back – it drove me mad. His heart will be with you guys for ever.”
Coates’s son, Lee, said: ““He was everyone’s friend, always willing to help. Nobody deserves this, but he definitely didn’t.”
Calocane had himself been a student at Nottingham University where he studied engineering.
Chief Constable Kate Meynell, of Nottinghamshire police, said: “These charges are a significant development and arise as a result of our thorough investigation into these horrific incidents that occurred in our city.
“Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of all those affected by these attacks, and we will continue to provide support and reassurance. We would also ask people to respect the families’ wishes for privacy at this difficult time to allow them to grieve.”
“This has been an incredibly sad time for our city and county, and we stand united with our communities as we come to terms with the effects of what has happened.
“We are keenly aware of the deep emotion being felt surrounding these tragic events and the high level of interest, not only in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, but also across the whole country.
“However, posting prejudicial information online about an active case could amount to contempt of court and, in the most serious cases, have the potential to cause the collapse of a trial.”
