Veterinary science student Leanne O’Brien clutched a teddy bear as she stood with Jack’s parents in front of the Guildhall in Cambridge, where they were joined by students, city councillors and residents for the vigil in honour of former Cambridge University students Jack and Saskia Jones who died in the incident near London Bridge.
The Mayor of Cambridge, Councillor Gerri Bird, led the minute’s silence, which ended with a round of applause. Afterwards Jack’s dad, David, was seen chatting to MP for Cambridge, Daniel Zeichner.
Mr Zeichner said in a statement: “This is a real tragedy for our city. Two young people from the University of Cambridge have died needlessly in horrific circumstances. It is impossible to understand this senseless violence which is having such a traumatic effect on people from in and around Cambridge. All our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives and have been injured, and our thanks go to the emergency services and those who intervened at considerable risk to themselves. We are a resilient city and we will pick ourselves up, and as we mourn together, we vow never to let terrorists destroy our way of life.”
Saskia, 23, from Stratford-Upon-Avon in Warwickshire and Jack, 25, were fatally stabbed by 28-year-old convicted terrorist Usman Khan in Fishmongers’ Hall, near London Bridge. The pair both completed MPhils in Criminology at the university and were participating in an event to mark five year’s of the University’s Learning Together programme, which focuses on prisoner rehabilitation, when they were attacked. Two men used chairs, fire extinguishers and a narwhal tusk from the building to fend off Khan and drive him away.
He was later shot dead by police on London Bridge.
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