Police in England arrested a 26-year-old man on Wednesday after a comprehensive search after the killing of three women with a crossbow. The casualties were recognized as the wife and two adult daughters of John Hunt, a commentator on BBC Racing.
John Hunt's Wife and Daughters Passes Away
Authorities from the Hertfordshire Police Force answered a call at a home in Bushey, northwest of London, shortly before 7 p.m. (2 p.m. Eastern) on Tuesday, where they found three women intensely wounded. Despite efforts by emergency services, all three women passed away from their wounds at the site, the police reported.
Kyle Clifford, the suspect in the manhunt, was situated by officers in Enfield, north London, where he lived, around 6:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. Eastern). Clifford was taken into detention with vague wounds and was getting medical medication.
The police verified that no shots were fired during his arrest. Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins highlighted that the inspection was advancing quickly and signified that no other suspects were being sought about the circumstances.
Earlier in the day, Hertfordshire Police Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson disclosed that the attack at the Hunts' residence had involved a crossbow, potentially supplemented by other weapons.
The police have not confirmed whether Clifford had prior ties to the Hunt family, but they believe the crime was targeted. The victims were identified as Carol Hunt, 61, and two daughters aged 25 and 28.
John Hunt, a former police officer and longtime BBC employee, arrived home to find his wife and daughters critically injured following the assault on Tuesday evening, according to media reports.
Appealing directly to Clifford through television, Chief Superintendent Simpson urged him to make contact, while emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Britain's Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed shock over the incident and reassured the public of ongoing updates from law enforcement, urging anyone with information to assist the investigation.
Local councilor Laurence Brass described the community's shock over the murders, noting that such violence was unusual in the typically quiet suburb of Bushey. He expressed concern for residents affected by the traumatic events.
In the U.K., owning a crossbow is legal without requiring a license or registration, though carrying one in public without justification is against the law.
Suspect Departed from the British Army in 2022
Clifford left the British Army in 2022 after a short stint, according to a source from the British Defense Ministry. He joined in 2019 and served in the Household Cavalry, as confirmed by his former military superior.
The killings sent shockwaves across Britain, where mass murders are rare but where violence against women has been acknowledged as a national threat by the government.
Reem Alsalem, the United Nations' special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, reported earlier this year that a woman is killed by a man every three days in the United Kingdom, and one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
In February, Alsalem emphasized that entrenched patriarchy at various societal levels, along with a rise in misogyny in both physical and online realms, denies thousands of women and girls in the U.K. the basic right to live safely, free from fear and violence.
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