Avon and Somerset Police have released an image of a man believed to have dumped two suitcases containing human remains on the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. Officers were called at 11.57pm on Wednesday to reports of a man acting suspiciously with a suitcase on the bridge. By the time they arrived 10 minutes later, the man had fled, leaving the suitcase behind. A second suitcase was found shortly after, both containing what are believed to be human remains.
At a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Acting Bristol Commander Vicks Hayward-Melen described the suspect as wearing a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket, white trainers, a gold earring, and a black backpack. The man is believed to have arrived at the bridge by taxi; the vehicle and driver have been located and are assisting with inquiries. The suspect is thought to have fled towards Leigh Woods at the western end of the bridge in north Somerset.
Hayward-Melen said: “This is a very disturbing incident and I fully recognise the concern it will be causing our communities. Our immediate priority is to locate the man who took the suitcases to the bridge, identify the deceased and inform their next of kin.” A postmortem examination is scheduled for Thursday, and the major crime investigation team is working to identify the deceased.
Police have cordoned off both ends of the iconic bridge, which sees an average of 11,000 crossings daily. Forensic vehicles and staff in hazmat suits were seen at the visitor centre, and a white tent was erected. Searches are being conducted by ground officers, the national police air service, and HM Coastguard.
Local residents expressed shock and fear. One woman, who asked not to be named, said her neighbour told her to lock her door. Andrea Malizia, 64, a resident of over 20 years, noted the helicopter activity after midnight and said: “Unfortunately we have lots of incidents related to the bridge anyways, it’s terrible.” Graziella Licata, 51, who runs an ice cream van near the bridge, said: “It’s scary… we hope the families of the victim or victims are informed quickly.”
Despite the investigation, the green space around the bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1864, remained busy with sunbathers and school students on Thursday. Police have launched a bespoke page on their major incident public portal for public information.
