Latest news with #TheOtleyRun
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Defiant Otley Runners take on famous 19-pub beer crawl a week after fanatic tried to massacre youngsters there with his crossbow
Defiant Otley Runners have taken on the town's famous 19-pub beer crawl just one week after a far-right extremist tried to massacre youngsters there with his crossbow. Despite the attack revellers were in good spirits as they took to the streets of Leeds donning fancy dress and sparkly costumes for the two-and-a-half mile boozefest. It comes after Owen Lawrence, 39, shot two women with a crossbow along the route of The Otley Run pub crawl before turning the weapon on himself last Saturday. Fortunately, the two women survived, with one remaining in hospital in a stable condition while the other was discharged, but Lawrence succumbed to his injuries two days later. Images showed drinkers dressed up as traffic cones, Smurfs and even Doctor Who characters as they attended the drinkathon today. One pack of friends dressed up as Dalmatians, with the girls sporting black and white spotted skirts, while another group featured both a builder and a Paddington Bear. Meanwhile, two male friends smiled at the camera while wielding baseball bats dressed up as the comic book character Harley Quinn. Batman, Spiderman, and the entire Star Wars crew were spotted too, and Dobby the Elf from Harry Potter, also made an appearance. Despite the attack revellers were in good spirits as they took to the streets of Leeds donning fancy dress and sparkly costumes for the two-and-a-half mile boozefest It comes after Owen Lawrence (pictured), 39, shot two women with a crossbow along the route of The Otley Run pub crawl before turning the weapon on himself last Saturday The Otley Run is meant to be a lighthearted tradition but last weekend it took a dark and disturbing turn when Owen Lawrence attempted to go on a killing spree. It is believed he specifically targeted students in fancy dress as part of his plans for a Christchurch inspired 'massacre' along the route of the pub crawl. Students living in the area have spoken out about how the attack has affected them, with some fearing for their safety and others feeling the need to be 'even more aware' of their surroundings. Art student Jess Anderson, 20, told the BBC the incident had 'brought it close to home that there is actually a rise in violence against women'. She said she enjoyed dressing up for the pub crawl and being with the people she loved, but was 'concerned there might be copycat people'. Her views were shared by student Christi King, 21, who lives in Headingley and said the attack had made her 'even more aware' of her surroundings. Police were called after Lawrence - who lived in Headingley and was unemployed - shot two women aged 19 and 31 before turning his weapon on himself. One has been discharged from hospital while the other is stable. Counter-terror police described Lawrence as the main suspect and said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. In images posted online, he appears appeared wearing a top with a Crusader cross on it - an influence on far-right killer Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in a gun and bomb attack in Norway. He also had a t-shirt with the words 'natural selection' which is a theory used to support far-right concepts of supposed white supremacy and male dominance. Another post referred to a 19-minute YouTube documentary by a user called Dire Trip who advertised films about 'weird, creepy, strange, or spooky things' and had also featured Nicholas Prosper who killed his mother, brother and sister in Luton in September last year, ahead of a planned attack on his former primary school. The video that Lawrence commented on was about schoolboy Hugo Jackson and a 16-year-old he had met online playing a game called Roblox, both of whom had launched knife attacks at schools in Sweden in 2021 and 2022. Both were influenced by Brenton Tarrant who killed 51 people in a gun attack on two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand in 2019, which he streamed on Facebook Live. Tarrant also published a 'manifesto' in which he claimed there was a conspiracy to create a 'white genocide'. Lawrence listed 'reactionary, with some 'small l' libertarian sympathies' under his 'political views' in a Facebook post, before the attack. Reactionary politics is a far-right theory that seeks to roll back social advancements. 'I have also explored far-right ideas, by reading through Brenton Tarrent's [sic] 74 page manifesto titled The Great Replacement,' he added. Lawrence declared his intention to launch the 'Otley Run Massacre' and said his targets were 'students, night club goers, pub crawler's [sic], Otley Run participants, society, humanity, human race.' He also mentioned 'neurotypicals' - which is a term of abuse used by extremists who are proud to be 'neurodivergent', especially if they have autism spectrum disorder which can make extremists socially isolated and particularly obsessive. He added as a target, 'police, if I need to.' His 'attack type' was listed as 'spree killing, mass murder, terrorism, revenge,' and 'misogynyic rage' [sic], along with 'homicide/suicide.' Lawrence stated the location for his attack was to be 'Otley Road, Leeds England, Headingley, [sic] LS6' and he gave his name as 'Owen 'Oz' Lawrence' adding: 'ethnicity/nationality: white British; religious views: agnostic.' The weapons he listed were a crossbow and a break barrel air gun, along with a Sig Sauer Rattler CO2 Gun and a Powerline Daiay 415 steel 'BB' ball bearing gun, and a 'blank firer' with modified ammunition. He was going to wear combat gloves and take with him an 'unbreakable baseball bat' called the Brooklyn Basher and two homemade 'shanks' [knives].
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Crossbow attacker's chilling 'manifesto' as he plotted Christchurch inspired 'massacre' of 'students and nightclub goers' in Leeds and showed off arsenal of weapons online
The Leeds crossbow attacker shared a chilling online 'manifesto' before his rampage and showed off an arsenal of weapons online. Owen Lawrence, 38, was named today by police, who revealed he had died from a 'self-inflicted injury' after the terrifying incident on Saturday afternoon in Headingley. He is believed to have planned a Christchurch inspired 'massacre' of students and clubbers along the route of The Otley Run, a popular pub crawl. Two women aged 19 and 31 were injured. One has already been discharged while the other underwent surgery and was described yesterday as being in a stable condition. Counter-terror police described Lawrence as the main suspect and said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. In images posted online, Lawrence appeared wearing a top with a Crusader cross on it - an influence on far-right killer Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in a gun and bomb attack in Norway. He also had a t-shirt with the words 'natural selection' which is a theory used to support far-right concepts of supposed white supremacy and male dominance. Another post referred to a 19-minute YouTube documentary by a user called Dire Trip who advertised films about 'weird, creepy, strange, or spooky things' and had also featured Nicholas Prosper who killed his mother, brother and sister in Luton in September last year, ahead of a planned attack on his former primary school. The deranged killer's hate-filled manifesto The video that Lawrence commented on was about school Hugo Jackson and a 16-year-old he had met online playing a game called Roblox, both of whom had launched knife attacks at schools in Sweden in 2021 and 2022. Both were influenced by Brenton Tarrant who killed 51 people in a gun attack on two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand in 2019, which he streamed on Facebook Live. Tarrant also published a 'manifesto' in which he claimed there was a conspiracy to create a 'white genocide'. Lawrence listed 'reactionary, with some 'small l' libertarian sympathies' under his 'political views' in a Facebook post, before the attack. Reactionary politics is a far-right theory that seeks to roll back social advancements. 'I have also explored far-right ideas, by reading through Brenton Tarrent's [sic] 74 page manifesto titled The Great Replacement,' he added. Lawrence declared his intention to launch the 'Otley Run Massacre' and said his targets were 'students, night club goers, pub crawler's [sic], Otley Run participants, society, humanity, human race.' He also mentioned 'neurotypicals' - which is a term of abuse used by extremists who are proud to be 'neurodivergent', especially if they have autism spectrum disorder which can make extremists socially isolated and particularly obsessive. He added as a target, 'police, if I need to.' His 'attack type' was listed as 'spree killing, mass murder, terrorism, revenge,' and 'misogynyic rage' [sic], along with 'homicide/suicide.' Lawrence stated the location for his attack was to be 'Otley Road, Leeds England, Headingley, [sic] LS6' and he gave his name as 'Owen 'Oz' Lawrence' adding: 'ethnicity/nationality: white British; religious views: agnostic.' The weapons he listed were a crossbow and a break barrel air gun, along with a Sig Sauer Rattler CO2 Gun and a Powerline Daiay 415 steel 'BB' ball bearing gun, and a 'blank firer' with modified ammunition. He was going to wear combat gloves and take with him an 'unbreakable baseball bat' called the Brooklyn Basher and two homemade 'shanks' [knives]. Facebook 's parent company Meta said on Sunday that it had removed an account apparently associated with Lawrence. Two weapons were recovered from the scene - a crossbow and a firearm, police said. Officers were on Sunday guarding a modern block of flats less than a five-minute walk away where the suspect is understood to live. A neighbour who knows the man said: 'The police have been there all night. Those poor girls are never going to be the same.' Damage was visible to cafe windows as locals spoke of their horror at the carnage. Residents and traders said that they believed many of the students did not realise what was happening because they were having such a good time. Cries of 'What's happened?' were heard as students piled into local cafes at the end of the Otley Run route when they came under fire on Saturday. One of the cafes, The Gelateria, had its front door shattered, while police vehicles were parked outside, although it was unclear if the damage was connected to the incident. Just minutes before it happened, the road was packed with students in fancy dress - some as the Pope - queuing to get into packed-out pubs. Gregory Dritschel, 25, said yesterday: 'I have done the Otley Run myself but not for a year or two. 'But when I saw the police my first thought was it something to do with the Otley Run. It is a crowded run and an obvious target. 'There were quite a few people dressed as the Pope.' Residents said the first thing they knew something was wrong was when they spotted revellers fleeing inside pubs along the route. 'There were quite a lot of people we saw piling into there,' one eye witness said. Another horrified local said: 'It could have been a lot worse. I am glad they caught a suspect. The Run has been going on for years and it is so big now. It is just shocking.' Robert Crapsey, originally from Ohio, has lived in Leeds in 17 years. 'My daughter and I were coming up Otley Road as they started blocking everything off,' he said. 'There was a lot of police stopping the traffic. Some of the pub runners stopped but the rest carried on. 'I don't think they knew anything had happened. I just thought someone had been hit by a car.' Mr Crapsey said some of the revellers may have initially mistaken the attacker for a student in fancy dress. 'You see swords and scythes. People may have seen him and just thought he had a really bad costume.' Local resident April Place agreed, saying: 'They all dress up with axes and things so no one would have taken any notice.' Visiting the scene, local councillor Julie Hesselwood said: 'We just want to say thank you to the police and ambulance service really quickly.' Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: 'Officers will continue to conduct enquiries and we ask that if anyone has information that may assist, to pass this to police. 'We understand there are concerns around the incident, and questions about how and why this has happened. Our teams are committed to carrying out an in-depth investigation to provide answers to those affected. 'We continue to work closely with West Yorkshire Police to support the local community and thank residents for their support and understanding over the weekend.
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Crossbow-wielding man, 38, who shot two women in Leeds dies in hospital from self-inflicted injury, counter terror cops say
A crossbow-wielding attacker who shot two young women during a 'misogynistic' rampage in Leeds has died in hospital, it emerged today. The 38-year-old man, named today by police as Owen Lawrence, was arrested after the 3pm attack on Saturday and taken to hospital in a critical condition following a 'self-inflicted injury'. Lawrence, who was from Headingley, is believed to have specifically targeted female students along the route of The Otley Run, a popular pub crawl. Two women aged 19 and 31 were injured. Weapons found at the scene, a break barrel air rifle that fires lead pellets, and a crossbow
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Counter-terror police probe whether crossbow attack that injured two women 'motivated by incel ideology'
Counter-terror police probing a crossbow attack on a popular student pub run said to have been fuelled by 'misogynistic rage' are examining whether it was motivated by incel ideology, sources said today. A 38-year-old 'key suspect' remains under police guard in hospital in a critical condition after sustaining a self-inflicted injury in Saturday's terrifying daylight rampage in Leeds. Detectives probing the attack in which at least two women were targeted – one of whom suffered life-threatening injuries - have been analysing a Facebook post outlining plans for 'The Otley Run massacre'. It describes the 'attack type' as 'spree killing, mass murder, terrorism', motivated by 'revenge' and 'misogynistic rage' - and adds the user had 'explored far-Right ideas'. Facebook's parent company, Meta, has deactivated the account in question. Police have stepped up patrols amid a widespread sense of shock in the popular student area, with West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime sending a message to 'women and girls' that 'we're here for you'. Whether the suspect was motivated by incel ideology 'forms part of the inquiry', a security source said yesterday. However the misogynistic movement – short for involuntary celibate – can overlap with other ideologies and the motivation remains unclear, they added. Pictured left to right: A break barrel air rifle that fires lead pellets and a crossbow left at the scene MI5 have also been helping counter-terror police with routine background checks as in any such incident, the source said. It comes as Mail Online revealed yesterday that students may have initially mistaken the attacker for a reveller in fancy dress - and carried on drinking. One of the two women hurt in Saturday's attack - aged 19 and 31 - suffered life-threatening injuries. She was in a stable condition last night following surgery, while the other victim has been discharged. Just minutes before Saturday afternoon's attack, the Otley Road area of Leeds was packed with students in fancy dress - some as the Pope - queuing to get into packed-out pubs. More than 15 pubs are on the Otley Run route in the Headlingley area of the city and it is attempted by groups of students and residents, as well as stag and hen dos, often in fancy dress. Shocking footage later emerged of a man strolling along a street carrying bulky items in both hands. Two weapons - a crossbow and a firearm - were recovered from the scene. Police have been guarding a modern block of flats less than a five-minute walk away where the suspect is understood to live. A neighbour said: 'I think it was a cry for help. 'He was not a bad guy.' The neighbour added: 'The police have been there all night. 'Those poor girls are never going to be the same.' Speaking out to reassure women in Leeds yesterday, Alison Lowe, deputy mayor of West Yorkshire for policing and crime, said: 'The suspect injured themselves and is now in hospital under police guard so the threat has been eliminated.' Saying the public would see an increased police presence across the Headingley area of Leeds, she told the BBC that officers knew people there were 'very frightened'. 'I would be scared if I had witnessed or been close to an incident of that magnitude,' she added. 'All I can say to those women and girls is that we're here for you. We're increasing those patrols.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said her thoughts were with the victims, adding that she was being updated. Yesterday Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: 'The investigation continues and officers are working at pace to establish the full facts and circumstances of Saturday's incident. 'We are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with this matter, which has caused understandable concern. 'We believe it was an isolated incident.'
Scottish Sun
27-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
Crossbow maniac who shot two young women in random attack was fuelled by ‘misogynistic rage'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A CROSSBOW maniac shot two young women in a random attack said to have been fuelled by 'misogynistic rage'. The man, who then blasted himself in the head with a gun in an apparent suicide bid, is believed to have been targeting female students. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 A crossbow attacker shot two young women in a random attack fuelled by 'misogynistic rage', it was said Credit: © YappApp 4 The man is thought to have been targeting female students, pictured the weapons used in the attack Credit: © YappApp He was arrested on suspicion of two attempted murders after Saturday's 3pm attack and was 'critical' in hospital last night. His victims were aged 19 and 31. One was 'stable' after surgery to life-threatening injuries. The other was discharged from hospital. READ MORE ON CRIME MUM'S TORMENT I was falsely accused of unspeakable crime against my girl, 6… it ruined me A video emerged yesterday of the suspect walking to the area of a pub crawl known as the Otley Run in Headingley, Leeds. He was dressed in black and armed with weapons including the crossbow, a break-barrel air rifle and CO2 and ball-bearing guns. Restaurant worker Bethany Connelly said girls eating outside asked if they could finish their meals inside 'because they'd seen someone with a crossbow'. She added: 'Minutes later we saw ambulance and police rushing down.' Another local, April Place, suggested his outfit and weapons might have been mistaken for fancy dress. She said: 'They all dress up with axes and things. No one would have taken any notice.' Horror as 'gun pointed at crowd' & crossbow seized near UK city centre with 30 armed cops scrambled – as 7 arrested Police, who searched the suspect's flat near the scene, were analysing a Facebook message outlining plans for 'The Otley Run massacre'. It describes the 'attack type' as 'spree killing, mass murder, terrorism' which has been motivated by 'revenge' and 'misogynistic rage'. It tells how the sender had 'explored far-Right ideas'. The post was removed by last night. An earlier post by the same person outlined their hatred for feminists. Counter Terrorism Policing North East took over the West Yorkshire Police probe to 'explore any potential motivation'. Neighbours of the suspect, meanwhile, said he had mental health issues. 4 A chilling video emerged yesterday of the suspect walking down a pub crawl-renowned in Headingley, Leeds Credit: Yap App
