The police watchdog has confirmed it is investigating whether the presence of a police car led to a van driver hitting two people in the Nottingham attacks. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was investigating part of the incident which saw a van collide with two pedestrians in the South Sherwood Street area.
It comes after the force referred itself as a marked police car was following the van - allegedly being driven by 31-year-old Valdo Calocane - before the collision. The incident happened in the Sherwood Street area, shortly before there was an arrest in Bentinck Road.
The IOPC said the police car was en-route to a linked incident and had sight of the van 'for less than a minute' before the collision. It added the officer immediately stopped to provide first aid.
Leave a green heart in tribute to Nottingham attack victims on our memorial page
An IOPC spokesman said: "We have now assessed a referral from Nottinghamshire Police, received on Wednesday, that informed us that a marked police car had been following behind the suspect’s van for a short distance at the time it collided with two pedestrians in Nottingham on Tuesday morning causing injuries.
"Police forces are required to refer to the IOPC incidents where police involvement may have contributed to people sustaining significant injuries. We have viewed dashcam footage from the police car and can confirm the officer, in a single-crewed vehicle en-route to a linked incident, had sight of the van for less than a minute before the collision in the South Sherwood Street area. The officer immediately stopped to provide first aid.
"We will be contacting the two people injured in the collision to wish them a speedy recovery and advise them that we have decided to investigate this specific police interaction. Our investigation will consider whether the actions of the van driver were influenced by the police car’s presence shortly before he collided with the two pedestrians.
"Our thoughts remain with all those affected by Tuesday’s tragic events." Two University of Nottingham students - Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19 - were stabbed to death in Ilkeston Road, Radford, as part of the alleged attack.
School caretaker Ian Coates, 65, was also stabbed to death in Magdala Road, Mapperley Park, and the suspect is alleged to have stolen his van.
Calocane, a University of Nottingham graduate of no fixed address, has been charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder. He will appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Saturday (June 17).
READ NEXT:
Nottingham attacks suspect Valdo Calocane charged with 3 counts of murder and 3 of attempted murder
Factory bosses issue statement after worker run down in attacks
