My lovely, lovely friends didn’t deserve to die
THE three men killed in the Reading terror atrocity were good friends who regularly socialised together, a pal has revealed.
James Furlong, Joe Ritchie-Bennett and David Wails met up for a picnic on Saturday afternoon in their local Forbury Gardens.
The three were killed when a suspected terrorist began randomly attacking them in a knife rampage that left three other people injured.
The friend of the trio told how he narrowly avoided the carnage as he had received a text from Mr Ritchie-Bennett informing him of the picnic plans earlier that day.
Martin Cooper, 36, CEO of Reading Pride, said: “They were all lovely, lovely people who didn’t deserve any of this and they are going to be sorely missed.
“They were just there as friends. Often, we’d be there with them as well. Three weeks ago, I was with Joe and we just relaxed.
“That’s what they did this weekend. I received a message from Joe but I didn’t respond until the evening because I was inWest London.
“Knowing him, he would have said we’re down in Forbury Gardens, do you want to join? And if I was available, I probably would have.
“I had people calling me wondering what was going on.
“You hear rumours and hope it is not true, you pray it is not true.
“And when you can’t get hold of friends you believe were there, you have just got to hope they have lost their phones or something. I have known Joe for just over four years, James for two years, and Dave, I knew very little of.
“He was a very quiet person who came out with these one-liners, but he always said hello.”
Mr Cooper, added: “It was a pleasure drinking and socialising and just being in their company.
“They should be remembered as extremely friendly gentlemen who were always fun, engaging and a pleasure to be around.” Mr Cooper was among hundreds to leave flowers yesterday at the scene of the devastating attack.
Michael Main, who also knew the trio, said: “Mr Wails was always happy. He made people smile.
“I always loved how Joe would say anything.
“He didn’t have much of a filter, which was the best thing.
“He always said what he wanted – and it was never anything bad, he always had something good to say. James, I used to love his argumentative conversations. Not in a bad way, just discussions and he’d always beat me in the arguments.”
The police officers who tackled the suspect, 25-year-old Libyan Khairi Saadallah, are already back at work.
But they met yesterday with Home Secretary Priti Patel, who thanked them for their heroism.
Anthony Stansfeld, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “The officers told the Home Secretary about their individual parts in the incident. There was one officer in the park, not in uniform or on duty, and we already had several more in the vicinity.
“They reacted very quickly when the individual left the park. It was terrible for the officers in the park.
“Three people had been killed and others had been seriously injured and they were trying to keep alive those who eventually died. “They were all young officers. They did very well in rather trying circumstances. What nobody knew at that time was whether there would be a follow-up attack.
“I think they were all very happy to meet the Home Secretary and to be able to tell their stories. They are returning to duty and will receive counselling where appropriate.
“It shows what police officers put up with all their working lives, going to ghastly incidents.”
Tory MP Chris Loder revealed that one of his parliamentary assistants “ran courageously towards danger” to help injured victims.
He said the member of his staff “not only used his own shirt to stem the bleeding of one victim but continued resuscitation on a second victim until the paramedics arrived”. He added: “This was
indeed a remarkable and extraordinary effort from a young man who has been with us in Parliament for little over four months.
“I am extremely proud to have him as part of the West Dorset Parliamentary team.”
The three people who were taken to hospital after being injured in the attack have been discharged, Counter Terrorism Policing South East said.
Detectives were granted yesterday a warrant of further detention of Saadallah until June 27.
Reading came together yesterday to honour those who died.
Civic and community leaders laid flowers outside Forbury Gardens and the town fell silent for two minutes in remembrance.
Safe
A heart-shaped floral tribute and candles were placed outside The Blagrave Arms in the town centre, with a minute’s silence held last night outside the pub.
Jamie Wake, a friend of the victims, said: “I wish I could stand here and say that I can make sense of the senseless. Sadly today, like many others, I can’t.
“We become used to seeing incidents like this on television.
“This time, we cannot change the channel. This time, it’s on our doorstep. It has happened to people we know.
“The LGBT-plus community and our allies, here in Reading, are close family, and we’re standing here outside The Blagrave, a place we call home, and a safe space for so many of our community.”