Reading terror attack: David Wails named as third victim, reports say

Tribute to three men outside Blagrave Arms pub reads, ‘We will never forget you’

Related video: Moment of silence at school where one of the victims worked (Facebook)

The third victim of the Reading terror attack has been named in reports as David Wails.

Michael Main, a friend of Wails and the other two victims, told the BBC he knew him as a regular at The Blagrave Arms pub.

He said: “I drank with David probably every day. Every time I was in there, he was in there. We’d have a lot of banter. He was a banter person. He’s the one that hits me the most because I know him more and it’s just sad to know he’s gone so early.”

Wails was named locally on Monday afternoon, after tributes were paid to Joe Ritchie-Bennett, 39, originally from Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and history teacher James Furlong, 36.

A heart-shaped floral tribute to the three men could be seen outside the bar on Monday afternoon, alongside candles and a note which read: “The Blagrave Arms management and staff are devastated at the announcement that the three people who died in the Forbury Gardens attack on Saturday were regular customers and very dear friends of ours.

“Our hearts go out to their family and friends, and the other victims of this horrific incident.”

Alongside the names “Dave, James and Joe”, the text said: “We will never forget you. RIP.”

A message among the flowers paid tribute to the trio, adding: “Our friends were the kindest, most genuine, and most loveliest people in our community that we had the pleasure in knowing.

A friend, who reportedly first met Ritchie-Bennett and Furlong at the Blagrave Arms, said they were “great supporters” of the LGBT+ community in Reading.

“Their loss is a tragedy to so many people,” Martin Cooper, 36, who is chief executive of LGBT+ charity Reading Pride, told the PA news agency.

“They will be sorely missed by myself personally and many in the community.”

In a statement, Mr Cooper added: “James, Joe and David were true gentlemen ... They were a support network for individuals, and I know they will be missed by many.

“We will come together as a community ... We will work to make things better [for the victims’ family and friends] and assist if there is any shortfall in any aspect of this atrocity.”

A two-minute silence, attended by more than 100 students, was held at the Holt School in Wokingham on Monday morning in Furlong’s memory, who pupils said was “always smiling”.

Ella Banbury, 17, said: “He was just a really kind teacher. You would always see him smile – there wouldn’t be a time where you wouldn’t see him smiling.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Ritchie-Bennett was 39 years old and had moved to England from the US around 15 years ago.

His brother, Robert Ritchie, a captain in the Philadelphia police force, told the paper: “We used to play together every day. We rode bikes together every day. Our family is heartbroken and beside ourselves. He did not deserve to go out like this.”

Additional reporting by Press Association