Latest news with #crossbowattack
National Post
26-06-2025
- National Post
BBC commentator whose family was murdered with a crossbow by his daughter's ex speaks out for the first time
John Hunt, a man whose wife and two daughters were murdered in a crossbow attack, is speaking out for the first time in an interview published by the BBC on Wednesday. Article content On July 9, 2024, Hunt's 61-year-old wife Carol, as well as his daughters, 25-year-old Louise and 28-year-old Hannah, were killed. The suspect was Louise's ex-boyfriend, Kyle Clifford, who was later arrested. He pleaded guilty, and in March, was convicted of fatally stabbing Carol before he raped Louise and then killed the sisters at their family home in Bushey, north of London, with a crossbow. He received three life sentences, the BBC reported. Article content Article content Article content Hunt, who is a BBC racing commentator, sat down with the publication alongside his third daughter, Amy. Article content Article content 'When it happened I thought, 'How on earth am I ever going to be able to care about anything ever again?'' he said. 'It's fine to sit with that thought in the wreckage of what was our personal disaster. But you come to realize that, with a little bit of work, you can find some light again.' Article content Hunt and Amy said they didn't want to speak out earlier because the intense, and sometimes inaccurate, media coverage after the murders 'added to their pain,' per the BBC. They didn't want their family to be 'defined by their deaths.' Article content 'From the moment I wake up, I say good morning to each of them,' said Hunt. 'Sometimes I say out loud to Hannah and Louise, 'Girls, sorry I can't be with you, I'm with your mum at the moment.' As I close my eyes at night, I chat to them as well. They're very close to me all the time.' Article content Amy revealed a touching memory with her sisters around two months before the horrific murders. She said they had gone out to dinner together and were so grateful for the lives they got to lead. They discussed how lucky they were to 'have had the parents we've had and the life we've had,' she said. Article content Article content My wife and daughters left behind a legacy of love, John Hunt tells BBC — Victoria Derbyshire (@vicderbyshire) June 26, 2025 Article content She told the BCC, at the time, there was no indication that Clifford was capable of such crimes. Although, the BBC reported, the relationship eventually 'started to sour' between Clifford and Louise. It ended in late June, when Louise broke up with him. Article content Article content Clifford went to the Hunt's family home on the day of the murders, reportedly to return some of Louise's belongings. He had a brief and cordial interaction with Carol, which was captured on the family's doorbell camera. He then followed Carol inside and stabbed her to death. When Louise arrived, her raped her and used a crossbow to kill her. Then, Hannah arrived and he killed her with a crossbow. Article content Before Hannah died, she texted her boyfriend and called police. Hunt said he believes Hannah's actions saved his life, as he was likely intended to be a victim of Clifford's as well.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- The Independent
John Hunt says he still talks to murdered wife and daughters ‘every day'
BBC racing commentator John Hunt has said he still speaks to his wife and two daughters daily after they were murdered in a crossbow and knife attack at their family home. Kyle Clifford, 26, killed his ex-partner Louise Hunt, 25, her sister Hannah Hunt, 28, and their mother Carol Hunt, 61, in a quiet cul-de-sac in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9 last year. A trial heard Clifford became 'enraged' when Louise ended their 18-month relationship, leading him to 'carefully' plan the attack. He was sentenced to a whole-life order at Cambridge Crown Court in March after pleading guilty to the murders, while he was later convicted of raping Louise in a 'violent, sexual act of spite'. Giving their first interviews since the murders, Mr Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy Hunt said they were both keen to keep the spirit of their loved ones alive. Mr Hunt told BBC News: 'From the moment I wake up, I say good morning to each of them. 'Sometimes I say out loud to Hannah and Louise, ' Girls, sorry I can't be with you, I'm with your mum at the moment'. As I close my eyes at night, I chat to them as well. So yeah, very close (to me) all the time.' Amy Hunt said: 'My mum, Hannah and Louise became a statistic. They became victims of Kyle Clifford. 'I want to breathe life back into my mum, Hannah and Louise as fully-rounded people.' Clifford gained access to the family home by deceiving Mrs Hunt into thinking he was returning some of Louise's things, then stabbed her to death in a brutal knife attack. After killing Mrs Hunt, the defendant waited for an hour for Louise to enter the house, then restrained, raped and murdered her with a crossbow. He then fatally shot Hannah Hunt with the weapon when she returned to the property after work. Amy said there was nothing in Clifford's behaviour leading up to the incident that suggested he was capable of committing such crimes, but it had become clear by the end of his relationship with Louise that he was 'not that nice of a person'. She said: 'Did we have any indication that this man was capable of stabbing my mother, of tying Louise up, of raping Louise, of shooting Louise and shooting Hannah? Absolutely not.' Mr Hunt said: 'He never once hit her. He was in the house an awful lot in that 18 months – I never heard raised voices once.' He said he recalled his three daughters going out for sushi a few weeks prior to the attack, before Hannah said on their return 'how lucky' they had been as a family. Mr Hunt added: 'It's a beautiful thing to recall. It was a beautiful thing to hear at the same time.' Hannah was able to message her boyfriend and call 999 in the moments before she died in the attack, telling them what had happened and who was responsible. Asked if his daughter's actions had saved his life, Mr Hunt said: 'That's what I believe. 'I said it in court and I said many, many times, her doing that has given me life. And I've used that to re-ground myself on a daily basis.' He added: 'I get to live. Hannah gave me that, and I've got to treat it as a gift from her.' Clifford refused to attend his sentencing in person or via video link and was not ordered to be forcibly brought before the court as the judge believed he may have disrupted proceedings. Amy said the act was evidence there was 'consistently a system that prioritises the perpetrator', adding: 'That's a traumatising thing for so many people.' Mr Hunt, who still lives in the family home, said his return to commentary work had helped him move forward in the months after the sentencing. He said: 'When it happened I thought, 'How on earth am I ever going to be able to care about anything ever again?' 'It's fine to sit with that thought in the wreckage of what was our personal disaster. 'But you come to realise that, with a little bit of work, you can find some light again.'
Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Telegraph
Crossbow ‘terrorism' suspect shot himself with air gun
A man suspected of carrying out a crossbow attack in Leeds died after shooting himself in the head with an air gun, an inquest has heard. Owen Lawrence, 38, was arrested after two women were seriously injured in an attack on Otley Road, Headingley last month. However, he died three days later after being taken to hospital for a self-inflicted injury. At the 10 minute hearing in Wakefield, Oliver Longstaff, the area coroner for Yorkshire West Eastern, gave the provisional cause of death as an 'air-gun injury to the head'. Mr Longstaff said that a post mortem examination confirmed Lawrence had died at Leeds General Infirmary as a result of the 'self-inflicted gunshot wound'. The coroner said there was a 'deal of investigation' still to be done in the case and adjourned the full inquest into his death to a later date. Detectives said that Lawrence had been the prime suspect in the attack and believed he was acting alone. His social media accounts were examined as an investigation into the violence was undertaken by counter-terrorism police. Two women, aged 19 and 31, were shot with a crossbow and taken to hospital with serious injuries. One of the victims had to have surgery after suffering life-threatening injuries, although both have now been discharged. A crossbow was recovered from the scene, as was a firearm, with police trying to determine how the suspect acquired the weapon. The incident occurred on a sunny Saturday afternoon on April 26 with people out enjoying the Otley Run pub crawl. More than 15 pubs are on the route, which is attempted by groups of students and residents, as well as stag and hen parties, often in fancy dress. Social media posts on accounts that appear to be linked to Lawrence appear to outline his plans for the violence in what he called 'The Otley Run Massacre'. The rambling post sets out plans to commit mass murder and kill people taking part in the local pub crawl, listing 'targets' as 'students, nightclub-goers, pub-crawlers, Otley Run participants, society, humanity, human race, neurotypicals and police, if I need to'. Elsewhere, images on the accounts reportedly show him posing with a gun and makeshift wooden knives. Suspect felt 'underprivileged' Residents in the block of flats off Wood Lane, Leeds where Lawrence lived, a few minutes from the scene of the attack, said that he was a troubled character who felt 'underprivileged'. His next-door neighbour said that Lawrence had struggled with his mental health and had drug issues. He said: 'His thing with students might be a class thing. He felt underprivileged.' Lawrence's former next-door neighbour said that he was ' very far-Right '. Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: 'Officers will continue to conduct inquiries and we ask that, if anyone has information that may assist, to pass this to police. 'We understand there are concerns around the incident and questions about how and why this has happened. Our teams are committed to carrying out an in-depth investigation to provide answers to those affected.'
Sky News
12-05-2025
- Sky News
Leeds crossbow attack suspect died from 'self-inflicted gunshot', inquest hears
A man suspected of attacking two women with a crossbow in Leeds died as a result of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound" to the head, an inquest has heard. Owen Lawrence, 38, was taken to hospital last month after two women were injured in Otley Road, in the Headingley area of the city, but he died two days later. Coroner Oliver Longstaff opened and adjourned the inquest into Mr Lawrence's death on Monday and said a post-mortem confirmed he had died at Leeds General Infirmary as a result of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound". The provisional cause of death was "airgun injury to the head", he added. West Yorkshire Police were called to Otley Road on 26 April following reports of a man seen with weapons. Two women, aged 19 and 31, were injured. One needed surgery after suffering life-threatening injuries, but both have now been discharged from hospital, police said. The incident occurred on a sunny Saturday afternoon on a route where people enjoy the Otley Run pub crawl. More than 15 pubs are on the route, which attracts students, residents, as well as stag and hen dos. Police said at the time that a crossbow and a firearm were recovered at the scene. The hearing heard how Mr Lawrence, from Headingley, had changed his name by deed poll 25 years ago from Owen Lawrence Eames, and he was registered disabled. Mr Longstaff said he was identified at the hospital by his mother. He said he was still waiting for a final report from the pathologist but that the cause of death was unlikely to change. The coroner added there was a "deal of investigation" still to be done and he adjourned the hearing to a date to be fixed. He urged people to apply "appropriate restraint" in speculating about the circumstances which led up to Mr Lawrence's death. Police believe he was acting alone and said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- BBC News
Inquest for Leeds Otley Run crossbow attack suspect Owen Lawrence opens
A 38-year-old man suspected of attacking two women with a crossbow in Leeds died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, an inquest has Lawrence died at Leeds General Infirmary on 28 April, two days after the women, aged 19 and 31, suffered serious injuries in Headingley, along the route of the Otley Run pub crawl. An inquest into Mr Lawrence's death, which opened at Wakefield Coroner's Court on Monday, was told the suspect was born Owen Lawrence Eames, before changing his name by deed poll. He lived on Wood Lane in Headingley and was registered disabled at the time of his death. Mr Lawrence's fatal injuries were caused by an airgun, it was inquest was adjourned to a later date yet to be fixed to allow for a full investigation to be completed, area coroner Oliver Longstaff that Mr Lawrence's death had "already attracted a deal of media and public attention", Mr Longstaff concluded the hearing by urging people to "refrain from speculation" before the inquest resumes. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
