Drinkers celebrating England’s victory in the Euros semi-final unwittingly asked a suspect if his ‘heavy’ suitcase had bodies inside before human remains were found dumped on Clifton Suspension bridge.
A manhunt was launched yesterday for a suspect thought to have abandoned two suitcases containing body parts before he was able to throw them from the 250ft bridge into the gorge below.
The suspect is thought to have arrived at the bridge by taxi shortly before midnight on Wednesday before leaving the suitcases and their gruesome contents behind.
Around the same time, an American tourist who was waiting for a taxi on the bridge with his wife claims he saw ‘two men getting out of a car and lugging heavy-looking suitcases’ across the road.
The pair had been waiting for a taxi close to the bridge, having watched the Three Lions beat the Netherlands to secure a place in the final against Spain.
As they waited, a female passerby joked with the two men about the contents of the bags, Giles Malone claimed. She said to them: ‘These are the heaviest suitcases I’ve ever lifted. What’s in them? Bodies’.
‘We sort of semi-joked about it but they didn’t say anything,’ he said.
Giles Malone spoke about his encounter with a man wanted by police over human remains found in a suitcase
Police issued this image of a man they would like to speak in connection with the suitcases
An aerial shot of a forensic tent on the Clifton Suspension Bridge on July 11
A map of Clifton Suspension Bridge in relation to the city of Bristol
Avon and Somerset Police issued a warning to the public that they are still searching for the suspect, described as being ‘black with a beard’ dressed in a ‘black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, black jacket, black trainers with thick white soles.’
Mr Malone believes there were two men carrying the suitcases but so far the police have only issued a picture of one man they want to speak to.
Mr Malone told LBC: ‘My wife and I were watching the football game with my dad in Clifton Village and we left my dad’s flat at 10.30pm after the football game.
‘We were waiting for an Uber on the corner by the pub and we were stood there waiting for our car.
‘A man and another man got out of another car across the street and they were lifting these suitcases across the road for some reason, right by us.’
Mr Malone who lives in Florida but has family in the West Country, explained he thought little of the incident until he was on the way to play golf the morning after.
‘I was coming across the bridge to go up to Long Ashton and my dad says it was closed (the bridge) because there was a national news item about some suitcases found,’ he said.
‘I immediately looked at my wife and said: ‘I wonder if that is a coincidence from last night?’.’
A picture of the moment staff at the bridge uncovered the grisly contents of the cases has now emerged, showing two men in high-vis vests investigating with torches
Forensic investigators in white suits seen working behind a police cordon on Clifton Suspension bridge
Mr Malone is now discussing what he heard and saw with detectives.
He added: ‘They didn’t really say anything of any remembrance at all, they were just struggling with these cases,’ he said, reflecting on the previous night’s interaction.
‘I think this lady must have helped them because she made that comment.’
The suitcases were described by Mr Malone as ‘old’ and ‘tatty’, while he described one of the two men he saw as black and the other as white.
In a statement the police said one suitcase was left behind on the bridge and the second was spotted by police closeby.
Acting Bristol Commander Vicks Hayward-Melen added: ‘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.’
It comes as police released an update last night on its investigation into the manhunt for a suspect thought to have abandoned the bags before he was able to throw them from the 250ft bridge into the gorge below.
Jack O’Sullivan’s (pictured) family has been contacted by police after two suitcases full of human remains were found on Clifton Suspension Bridge
University graduate Jack (pictured centre with his family) has not been seen since he went to a house party in Bristol on March 2
During a press conference last night, police confirmed that a senior officer has been in contact with the family of missing law graduate Jack O’Sullivan ‘to inform them of the incident’.
However, ‘no parallels are being actively drawn’ between the two cases, officers said.
The 23-year-old has not been seen since he went to a house party in Bristol on March 2 and his family are continuing to plead for information on his whereabouts.
MailOnline understands the suspect police are hunting in connection with the body parts probe arrived at the bridge by taxi shortly before midnight on Wednesday before leaving the suitcases and their gruesome contents behind.
A taxi – believed to be a blue Hackney cab – is now undergoing a forensic examination while the driver is helping police in their bid to identify the man.
On Thursday, police issued a photograph of the wanted man who is black and was wearing a black Adidas baseball cap and black trainers with thick white soles. He had a gold earring and was carrying a black backpack.
He is believed to have left the bridge in the direction of Leigh Woods with one witness saying he was pursued by a cyclist.
He had been challenged by staff for acting suspiciously before leaving the suitcases and their gruesome contents behind.
A picture of the moment bridge staff uncovered the grisly contents of the cases has now emerged, showing two men in high-vis vests using torches to investigate.
The bridge was closed to traffic while forensic officers arrived at the scene to take away the suitcases and their contents.
Concerned resident Michael Mulcahy, 57, said: ‘It’s horrific to think someone has been chopped up and put in a suitcase.
‘I think the guy must have gone there with the intention of chucking them over the side of the bridge.
‘But those safety rails are very high – it would take some effort to pitch a heavy suitcase over the top.’
Mr Mulcahy said it was worrying that such a gruesome crime had happened so close to the Georgian suburb of Clifton, famed for its upmarket restaurants, boutiques and independent shops.
A yellow sack with a biohazard warning label was pictured behind police tape at the scene of the incident
Officers were called to reports of a man seen acting suspiciously on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol (pictured) shortly before 12am yesterday
An aerial view of a forensic tent on the Clifton Suspension Bridge
Police at the scene near Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol,
He added: ‘Britain is becoming such a violent place right now.
‘I feel sorry for the emergency services who discovered the contents of the suitcase.’
It’s believed police traced the taxi through CCTV on the bridge which is 331ft above the River Avon at high tide.
The bridge remained closed on Thursday while police inquiries continue.
A woman operator at a Bristol taxi firm told MailOnline: ‘When we heard the bridge had been closed at midnight we assumed another person was trying to throw themselves off.
‘It was quite a shock when the police announced what had been found there. We didn’t expect that.’
Locals are praying the body in the suitcases is not linked to the disappearance of local man Jack Sullivan, whose family have since been informed of the incident by police.
But the force said there are ‘no parallels are being actively drawn’ between the ongoing search for the missing 23-year-old and the suitcases containing human remains.
At a press conference near Chief Inspector Vicks Haywood-Melen said: ‘I understand the parallels that might be made with Jack’s case, and we would ask anybody to avoid any speculation at this time,’ she said.
‘What I can confirm is just because of the nature of the incident and because of the concerns that people may have, a senior officer has been in contact with Jack’s family to inform them of the incident, but I can confirm at this time that no parallels are being actively drawn.’
Locals are praying the body in the suitcases is not linked to the disappearance of 23-year-old local man Jack Sullivan
The Clifton Suspension Bridge, which links Bristol to Somerset, is to remain closed all day due to the police incident. Pictured is the road leading to the bridge
A uniformed police officer speaks with a member of the forensics team at the scene
Meanwhile the man who police want to speak to is described as black, with a beard and was wearing a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket, black trainers with thick white soles and had a black backpack.
The release of the picture comes after police carried out a search for several hours last night involving involved a police helicopter and HM Coastguard.
The man was not located but officers are reviewing CCTV and working on tracking the man’s movements after he left the bridge.
If anyone sees the man, they are advised not to approach him but instead call 999, quoting reference 5224180010 to the call handler.
One witness told Bristol Live the man was pursued by a cyclist as he ran off down Burwalls, a residential lane leading down to Rownham Hill.
The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘There were two suitcases, one left on the bridge with what appeared to be blood leaking from it, the other case was on the road just after the bridge on the Leigh Woods side.
‘There was blood on the floor along the bridge.
‘The man who had the cases ran from the bridge staff and I saw him being chased by a member of the public on a bike – he was shouting something in Spanish.’
Locals have also expressed their shock at the grim discovery on the iconic bridge.
An aerial shot of a forensic tent on the Clifton Suspension Bridge on July 11
Police at the scene near Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, where a manhunt has been launched following the discovery of the two suitcase
Andrea Malizia, 64, who has lived near the bridge for over 20 years, said: ‘It was after the England game – I was watching a film around midnight when I remember first hearing a helicopter circling.
‘It was circling for quite a while – I remember finishing my film and starting another in that time – it was flying very low.
‘Then this morning I woke up and was told the bridge was closed and then of course, found out what happened a couple hours ago.
‘Unfortunately we have lots of incidents related to the bridge anyways, it’s terrible – and there is so much surveillance on it, they have guards so surely there will be footage of him out there.’
Graziella Licata, 51, runs Bristol Ice Cream and serves from her van next to the bridge each day.
She said the news was ‘absolutely awful’, and added: ‘I got down here at around 11 this morning and it was just so quiet – to be honest it’s been so so quiet in the area all day, no comings or goings at all.
‘It’s scary – when I woke up this morning and heard the bridge had closed, I immediately thought ‘this must be really bad’ because they never ever close it.’
A forensics officer seen collecting evidence at the scene in Bristol
The incident has sparked a massive emergency response. Pictured is the scene
Aerial photos show a white forensics tent set up on one side of Clifton Suspension Bridge as police carry out their investigations.
The incident has sparked a massive emergency response, with helicopters and the coastguard scouring the area.
The suspect travelled to the bridge in a taxi, which has since been seized, and the driver is assisting the force with their enquiries.
The bridge, a Grade I listed landmark, spans the Avon Gorge and was designed by noted Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opening in 1864.
It has been closed in both directions since 6.30am, with forensics investigators in white suits seen working behind a police cordon.
Carla Denyer, newly elected MP for Bristol Central, said she was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the discovery of human remains in two suitcases at Clifton Suspension Bridge and thanked the police for their ‘swift action’.
The Green Party co-leader posted on X: ‘I am deeply disturbed by the horrifying discovery of human remains at Clifton Suspension Bridge overnight.
‘Distressing events like this are unsettling for all of us who call Bristol home and are proud of our city.
‘Thank you @ASPolice for your swift action. I am in contact with authorities and will do anything I can to support a swift and thorough investigation.’
Acting Bristol Commander Vicks Hayward-Melen said: ‘This is a very disturbing incident and I fully recognise the concern it will be causing our communities.
Carla Denyer, newly elected MP for Bristol Central, said she was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the discovery of human remains in two suitcases at Clifton Suspension Bridge and thanked the police for their ‘swift action’
The Clifton Suspension Bridge spans the Avon Gorge and the River Avon, linking Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset and is a Grade I listed building
Avon and Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner, Clare Moody, said: ‘I know this is distressing and disturbing news that will be concerning for local people’
‘The investigation is being led by our Major Crime Investigation Team and involves specialist officers and staff from across our organisation.
‘Our immediate priority is to locate the man who took the suitcases to the bridge, identify the deceased, and inform their next of kin.
‘Specialist Officers are ready to provide the with any support they need.
‘An immediate search of the area was carried out by officers on the ground with the support of the National Police Air Service and HM Coastguard following the discovery of the suitcases. These searches remain ongoing.’
Specialist crime scene investigators are at the scene, with the landmark bridge remaining shut as they examine the area.
The police spokesperson added: ‘There is currently an increased police presence in the area and anyone who has concerns is encouraged to speak to an officer.’
Avon and Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner, Clare Moody, said: ‘Many of you will be aware through media reports that Avon and Somerset Police has launched an investigation, and are looking for a man, in connection with serious incident that involves the discovery of suitcases on Clifton Suspension Bridge containing what are believed to be human remains.
‘I know this is distressing and disturbing news that will be concerning for local people.
‘I have been fully briefed by Avon and Somerset police about this incident and I can confirm they are focusing resources on locating the man they are seeking and identifying the remains and informing the family members.’
If you have any information which could help the police investigation, please call 101 and quote reference 5224180010.
