Police stand guard at Ashley Close in Bushey in the borough of Hertfordshire, north of London, on July 10, after a triple 'crossbow attack' murder.JUSTIN TALLIS/Getty Images
Police in Hertfordshire, north of London, have arrested a 26-year-old man they believe murdered three women using a crossbow, then went on the run for nearly 24 hours.
The BBC confirmed that the victims were Carol Hunt, the wife of horse racing broadcaster John Hunt, and their two daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28. Police said the women were killed in a targeted attack Tuesday evening at the family’s home in Bushey, a leafy London suburb.
Mr. Hunt is a well-known racing commentator on the BBC and Sky Sports. He was working at Lingfield Park Racecourse in Surrey on Tuesday.
Police spent most of Wednesday conducting a massive manhunt across north London for Kyle Clifford, who lives in nearby Enfield and is believed to be a former boyfriend of Louise. Late in the afternoon they announced that Mr. Clifford had been found not far from his home and was receiving medical treatment for unspecified injuries.
“Following extensive inquiries, the suspect has been located and nobody else is being sought in connection with the investigation at this time,” said Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit.
The case has raised questions about the easy access to crossbows in the U.K., which have been used in a growing number of serious crimes.
There are no restrictions on the purchase of crossbows by adults, and owners do not have to register the weapons with police. They can be bought online for as little as £50 ($87), with the only requirement being that the buyer prove they are 18 or older.
There have been calls for tighter regulations ever since the death of Shane Gilmer in January, 2018.
Mr. Gilmer, 30, was killed by a crossbow bolt fired by his neighbour Anthony Lawrence in North Yorkshire. Mr. Gilmer’s partner, Laura Sugden, was also shot but survived, along with their unborn child.
Paul Marks, the coroner who oversaw an inquest into Mr. Gilmer’s death in April, 2021, said in a report to the Home Secretary “that there was a risk that future deaths would occur because the possession of crossbows was not recorded, unlike the use and possession of shotguns and other firearms.”
He added that “over the last few years, there have been some high-profile incidents and killings that have involved the use of these weapons and the present case is unfortunately another example.”
Mr. Marks called on the government to introduce regulations governing the sale and registration of crossbows.
At the time, Home Secretary Priti Patel said that while the misuse of crossbows was tragic, “these incidents are fortunately very rare.” She added that existing laws were sufficient to cover any crimes committed with crossbows.
On Christmas Day in 2021, Jaswant Singh Chail was detained close to Windsor Castle. He was armed with a crossbow and said later that he’d wanted to kill Queen Elizabeth. He received a nine-year sentence.
That incident prompted Ms. Patel to launch a review of crossbow regulations, and earlier this year the Home Office asked for public input on possible new rules. The call for evidence closed in April and was suspended for the election on July 7.
The Labour government, which won the election and took office last week, has vowed to pick up the review and look for ways to tighten regulations.
“The loss of three women’s lives in Bushey last night is truly shocking. My thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have been killed and with the community,” the new Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said on X.
A spokesperson for the department added that Ms. Cooper would “swiftly” consider the findings of the review.
Mr. Hunt has worked at the BBC and Sky Sports for 20 years, covering mainly horse racing but also the Olympics and soccer. “The news today about John Hunt’s family is utterly devastating,” the BBC said in a statement Wednesday.
Sky Sports said, “Everyone at Sky Sports Racing is deeply saddened by the tragic deaths in Hertfordshire and our thoughts are with our colleague John Hunt, his family and friends at this awful time.”
BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght said he was speechless at the news. “Like everyone else I feel numb and sick on John’s behalf at such incomprehensible evil,” Mr. Lysaght said in a statement. “Everyone who knows John knows he is the absolute archetypal family man, so proud of them, so it’s impossible to know what he can be going through.”