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Grace O’Malley Kumar, 19, was killed in a knife attack in the early hours of Tuesday as she walked back from a night out with fellow cricket-loving friend Barnaby Webber, 19. Floral tributes have been piling up for both teenagers on the spot at Ilkeston Road in Nottingham city centre where they were found dead. The third victim was Ian Coates, a school caretaker in his 60s.
“Grace was an adored daughter and sister; she was a truly wonderful and beautiful young lady,” Kumar’s family said in a statement.
“Grace was not just a sister to James but his best friend. He is completely heartbroken. As parents, words cannot explain our complete and utter devastation. She will be so dearly missed. We were so incredibly proud of Grace’s achievements and what a truly lovely person she was. She was resilient and wise beyond her years,” they said.
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“Grace was so happy in life fulfilling her ambition of studying to become a doctor whilst playing topflight hockey at university. She leaves behind devastated extended family and friends,” they added.
Being a medical student, she was inspired by her father’s work – London-based Dr Sanjoy Kumar, who was awarded an MBE for services to the profession and was in the headlines in 2009 for stepping in to help teenagers stabbed near his local surgery.
“Grace was a medical student, thriving in her first year of study and inspired to a career in medicine by work placements in a GP [general practitioner] surgery and her volunteering for the nationwide vaccination programme during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, where Kumar was enrolled.
“She was a talented sportswoman, playing international hockey for both the U16 and U18 England Hockey Team and Essex U15 Women’s Cricket. She was held in the highest regard by her tutors and team mates alike,” she said.
The university organised a campus vigil on Wednesday for students, staff and family members in memory of the two students killed and in an effort to heal.
An emotional Dr Sanjoy Kumar addressed the vigil to say it ”should never happen to any parent”.
”Thank you for the things you did for our daughter and Barnaby. And look out for each other… The love we have out here — I wish we had it everywhere,” he said, along with the father of the second student victim.
Meanwhile, Bancroft’s school in London where Kumar was studying before moving to Nottingham for university, also issued a moving tribute to the “immensely gifted” student.
The statement reads: “We are desperately shocked and saddened by Grace’s sudden death in these truly terrible circumstances. “She was a talented sportswoman, playing international hockey for both the U16 and U18 England Hockey Team and Essex U15 Women’s Cricket. She was held in the highest regard by her tutors and teammates alike,” she said.
“She left Bancroft’s only last year and was a hugely important part of our community. An immensely gifted and dedicated scholar and sportswoman, she was hugely loved and greatly respected and admired by all.
“She was outstanding in every respect and will be missed terribly.” It follows several tributes that have been pouring in as details emerged of the victims of the attack, which is still under investigation by local police and counter-terror officers.
A 31-year-old man, believed to be of West African origin, remains in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder.
”We are all deeply saddened by the news of the tragic death of Grace Kumar in Nottingham on Tuesday,” England Hockey, the sport’s governing body, said in its tribute.
Woodford Wells Cricket Club in Essex described Grace Kumar as a ”fiercely competitive, talented and dedicated cricketer”.