Trump supporters clash in Miami, National calls out the Government's 'misleading' police promise, three people killed in Nottingham and gang numbers continue to rise in Bay of Plenty in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
A former public school boy from Somerset and a promising hockey player have been identified as the two Nottingham University students who were attacked by a knife-wielding assailant on their way home from a night out.
The second victim of the Nottingham attacks has been identified as Grace Kumar, 19.
Kumar had been a star for England’s young hockey programme and had been selected at a national level for both the under-16s and under-18s squads, local media site Nottinghamshire Live reports.
Grace Kumar, 19, was one of two University of Nottingham students who were stabbed to death while walking home after a night out at 4am this morning.
Webber, who went by the name Barney, was a former student at Taunton School, an independent boarding school in Somerset where fees can be as much as £45,000-a-year.
He was a talented sportsman, who played hockey, cricket and golf.
His family live in a quiet residential area of Taunton, where devastated relatives gathered on Tuesday.
It is understood that his father, David, is an IT consultant and his mother, Emma, is a marketing and brand communications consultant. Barnaby is also believed to be survived by a younger brother, Charlie.
His grandparents Phil and Jenny Robson travelled to Taunton from their home near Exeter on Tuesday. Outside the Webber’s home, Mr Robson said: “We are still unsure what has gone on at the moment.
“Barnaby’s parents are in bits as you can imagine but they are with officers from Nottinghamshire Police as we speak.
“We’ve been told not to make any comment until we know more.
“Perhaps in a day or two we can say more but at the moment we are not allowed.”
Barnaby Webber was making his way back to student halls at the time of the attack.
Webber was a member of Taunton School’s Under-14 hockey team when they won the County Championship in 2018. School newsletters reported that he was also a skilled cricket player.
He had recently travelled home from Nottingham to play cricket for a local club, Bishops Hull, which is part of the West Somerset Cricket League, and had also turned out for them in an indoor league.
According to his Facebook page, Webber was a fan of Pryzm nightclub, the popular Nottingham venue formerly known as Oceana.
He also liked Zinc Taunton, a club in his local area, and Long Sutton Golf and Country Club in Somerset. His profile page includes photos of him celebrating sporting victories with friends and smiling while getting ready for a black tie event last October.
The University of Nottingham said: “We are shocked and devastated by the news and our thoughts are with those affected, their families and friends.”
It is understood that he was living in student halls called Deakins Place, a block built last year which had 720 en-suite rooms and a 24-hour gym, which is a 30-minute walk from the city centre via Ilkeston Rd.
Speaking outside a student accommodation block, a female student, who did not wish to be identified said: “Barney was a friend of mine. He was just walking home from a club like we all do.
“They just got unlucky. They were five minutes from home and got stabbed.”
Parents were urgently trying to contact their children on Tuesday morning to find out if they had been hurt in the attacks, with some students leaving the city to stay with families.
A woman wrote on Twitter: “My friend’s daughter, a student at Nottingham University, has lost a good friend in this senseless incident.
“The families must be devastated. I just don’t understand this violence.”
A 21-year-old man wrote: “Happened three roads away from my girlfriend’s house. I am honestly mortified. It’s sickening. So sad. RIP Barnaby Webber.”
Nottingham University was ranked the 18th-best university in the UK and 130th in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings this year. It has around 33,000 students and is known for its extensive sports facilities.
Students said the city and university community was in a state of shock on Tuesday night.
Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, wrote:
My thoughts and prayers are with the City of Nottingham following the devastating news that three people have lost their lives, including two students from @UniofNottingham.
Support is available for students and staff and my Department stands ready to assist in any way we can. https://t.co/akBomDQAcb
