Remains of two men found in suitcases on Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge – as private ambulance arrives at London crime scene
Human remains found in two suitcases on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol are thought to be those of two men, police have said.
One post-mortem was “inconclusive” while the second is ongoing, the Metropolitan Police said.
Neither victim has been formally identified.
Enquiries suggest a man identified as a suspect travelled to Bristol from London on Wednesday before the remains were found, Scotland Yard said.
A crime scene is in place in Shepherd’s Bush in west London, where a helicopter was circling above Scott’s Road on Friday afternoon. Four police officers guarded a cordoned-off area.
A private ambulance arrived at the scene in at 6.30pm.
“I heard them all tearing down here in the early hours of the morning,” said local resident Anthony Priest.
“I heard a police car coming down, with lights flashing. It must have been about half past three.”
The property being searched in Shepherd’s Bush is next to a large housing estate.
Sky News correspondent Matthew Thompson spoke to a woman who lives in a block directly opposite the property, overlooking the crime scene.
The woman, who didn’t want to give her name, said she and her mum were woken up at 4:30am to the sound of dogs barking and a large commotion outside as police arrived at the property.
She added officers had been there ever since and she had seen officers in blue forensic suits going in and out all afternoon.
The woman said it was “terrifying” to think something connected to the discovery of the bodies in Bristol could have happened so close to her home.
Avon and Somerset Police, who have not identified the suspect, released a photograph of him.
He is described as black with a beard, wearing a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket and black trainers with thick white soles. He also had a black backpack and was wearing a gold earring.
If anyone sees him, they are advised to call 999 immediately.
There is “no information to suggest” he remains in the Avon and Somerset area, officers said.
Officers received reports just before midnight on Wednesday evening of a man with a suitcase acting suspiciously on the bridge.
It is believed the wanted man took a taxi to “where the suitcases were unloaded”, Acting Bristol Commander Vicks Hayward-Melen said.
The driver is helping with the police investigation and a taxi has been seized.
Police arrived at the scene within 10 minutes – but the man had vanished, leaving a suitcase behind. A second suitcase was found nearby a short time later.
Both were found to contain human remains.
Witnesses have described how the man was challenged after a “tatty” suitcase was seen to be leaking blood.
He left the scene, reportedly chased by a cyclist.
The suspect set off in the direction of Leigh Woods after abandoning the suitcases, police said on Thursday.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine, who is leading the investigation for the Met, said: “Over the last 48 hours we have been working extremely closely with colleagues from Avon and Somerset. This work leads us to believe the man we need to speak to travelled to Bristol from London earlier on Wednesday evening (10 July).”
The Met has now taken over the investigation.
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Ms Hayward-Melen added: “We’re very grateful to the public for the way they’ve responded to our appeals for information.
“We’ve had more than 160 messages through our major incident room phone number and our online portal.”