Family's heartbreak as second victim of London terror attack identified
A 23-year-old woman has been identified as the second victim killed in the London stabbing attack.
Saskia Jones was named by police on Sunday, and authorities revealed she and fellow victim Jack Merrritt, 25, worked alongside each other before being knifed to death near London Bridge on Friday.
Ms Jones and Mr Merritt were both former Cambridge University students involved in a prisoner rehabilitation program.
"Both were graduates of the University of Cambridge and were involved in the Learning Together program, Jack as a co-ordinator and Saskia as a volunteer," police said on Sunday.
Started five years ago, the program was designed to bring Cambridge University graduate students together with prisoners to study criminology in an effort to reduce stigma and marginalisation experienced by many inmates.
One of the three wounded was identified as a university staff member. The three survivors were not named.
Officials said one was released from hospital on Sunday and the others are in stable condition.
Ms Jones's family described her as having "a great passion for providing invaluable support to victims of criminal injustice, which led her to the point of recently applying for the police graduate recruitment program".
The family said she wanted to specialise in victim support.
"Saskia was a funny, kind, positive influence at the centre of many people's lives," their statement read, according to the BBC.
"She had a wonderful sense of mischievous fun and was generous to the point of always wanting to see the best in all people.
"She was intent on living life to the full and had a wonderful thirst for knowledge, enabling her to be the best she could be.”
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The family added it was an “extremely painful time” and her death would “leave a huge void in our lives”.
Meanwhile Mr Merritt’s family said: "Jack lived his principles; he believed in redemption and rehabilitation, not revenge, and he always took the side of the underdog.”
The gathering where the attack broke out had been meant to celebrate the fifth year of the program, university vice chancellor Stephen Toope said.
"What should have been a joyous opportunity to celebrate the achievements of this unique and socially transformative program, hosted by our Institute of Criminology, was instead disrupted by an unspeakable criminal act," he said.
The attacker, Usman Khan, was apparently attending the event and had returned for the afternoon session when he started stabbing people. Police believe he acted alone.
Khan was a convicted terrorist who had secured early release from prison. He was shot dead by police after he was restrained by civilians.
Police opened fire after he flashed what looked like a suicide vest, but it turned out to be a fake device.
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