Nottingham major incident: 3 dead, suspect arrested, motive unknown

A traumatic night unfolded in Nottingham as a major incident left three people dead and led to the arrest of a 31-year-old man on suspicion of murder. The suspect is currently in police custody as investigators work to uncover the motive behind the tragic event.

Graham Wettone, Sky’s policing analyst, commented on the challenges faced by officers when responding to such incidents. He said, “Police officers get calls like this every day about people being injured, so you are never quite sure what you are going to find.” He added that social media accounts and witness posts would be examined as part of the investigation.

The incident began on Ilkeston Road, where two people were found dead in the street after police were called to the scene just after 4am. Later, armed officers rushed to the area at around 12:30pm, blocking off the road. Another person was found dead on Magdala Road, while on Milton Street, a van attempted to run over three individuals, who are currently receiving treatment in hospital.

Simon Harding, a former Metropolitan Police officer, explained that the police would be considering the risk of further offences and working with other organisations, such as counter-terrorism, to determine if there were any connections. He emphasised the importance of understanding the suspect’s associates and any potential risks associated with the incident.

The police cordon remains extensive, and the area will only return to normality once all necessary forensic evidence has been collected, witnesses identified, and CCTV footage examined. Harding also mentioned the importance of reaching the victims’ families as quickly as possible.

Sky News’ crime correspondent, Martin Brunt, highlighted the need for police to keep an open mind during their investigations. He said, “People might be ready to jump to conclusions – that’s the last thing that the police will do. And to some, this will have some of the hallmarks of a terror attack – but the key to this of course, is the suspect.”

Investigators will examine the suspect’s background, mobile phone, home, friends, and contacts in great detail. Brunt added, “It may not be terror. We haven’t had any kind of terror incident for the last two years at least. It may be a more explainable attack – a huge attack.”