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The wife and two youngest daughters of John Hunt, a BBC racing
commentator, have been killed in a crossbow attack at their home.

Carol Hunt, 61, and the couple’s children Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, were found with serious injuries at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after neighbours reported hearing screams. They were pronounced dead a short
time later by paramedics.

Mr Hunt, who had been working for the BBC at Lingfield Park racecourse on Tuesday, returned home to discover the tragedy.

Kyle Clifford, 26, the suspected killer was detained on Wednesday night in Lavender Hill Cemetery, close to his home in Enfield, north London,
following a huge manhunt.

Within hours of the killings, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, announced
she would urgently examine a ban on the sale of crossbows as weapons.

Mr Clifford, a former soldier, who is believed to have been in a
relationship with Louise Hunt, was located by armed officers at about 6pm. Police said no shots were fired but he was receiving medical treatment
having been found with injuries.

Last night, Mr Hunt and his eldest daughter were being comforted by
relatives and specially trained police officers.

In a note sent to BBC 5 Live staff after the deaths, the broadcaster said:
“The news today about John Hunt’s family is utterly devastating.

“Our thoughts are with John and his family at this incredibly difficult
time and we will provide him with all the support we can.”

The killings have once again ignited a debate about the availability of crossbows, which the previous government had been considering clamping
down on.

There is no registration system in place for owning a crossbow and no requirement for a licence.

The powerful and potentially deadly weapons are readily available to buy
online and have been used in a number of homicides.

Ms Cooper called for “robust action” to stop the sale of crossbows while
in opposition, and said the party would explore the best way of doing so without inhibiting sporting activities.

Home Office sources said Ms Cooper would urgently consider the findings
from a review which set out proposals for firearms-style restrictions on
the weapons. The review was ordered by Priti Patel when home secretary in
2021 after a man climbed into the grounds of Windsor Castle and declared
he wanted to kill the Queen.

The review included options for licensing schemes to control the use,
ownership and supply of crossbows, with anyone looking to buy one facing
police checks – similar to regulations already in place for firearms. It
also proposed a registration scheme for the estimated 300,000 crossbows in circulation.

The Home Office said the triple murder of Mr Hunt’s family was “appalling”
and Ms Cooper was being kept updated by the police.

“We keep legislation under constant review and a call for evidence was
launched earlier this year to look at whether further controls on
crossbows should be introduced. The Home Secretary will swiftly consider
the findings to see if laws need to be tightened further,” said a Home
Office spokesman.

A huge manhunt, co-ordinated by Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and
Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit was launched in the wake of the killings,
with police taking the unusual step of publicly naming the suspect.

Members of the public were warned not to approach Mr Clfford but urged to
dial 999 immediately and the police also issued a personal appeal for him
to contact them.

Det Insp Justine Jenkins said: “This investigation is moving at pace and
formal identification of the victims is yet to take place.”

“Following extensive inquiries, the suspect has been located and nobody
else is being sought in connection with the investigation at this time.”

A former Queen’s Dragoon Guard, Mr Clifford left the Army in 2022 and had
been working as a security guard.

Glyn Nicholas, 77, a neighbour of the Hunt family said: “Louise split up
with her boyfriend a few days ago and she crashed her car into a telegraph
pole because she was so upset coming home.

“She’s a lovely, caring girl. She runs a dog grooming business in Bushey.
Her sister Hannah and mother Carol are lovely as well. It’s all so sad.
Louise was a sweet, lovely girl. They all were. This is so sad for
everyone.”

voice of racing commentary and other sports.

A former police officer, he joined the BBC horse racing team in 2004
having previously worked as a broadcaster for Ladbrokes.

He has branched out into other sports and provides BBC commentary for
swimming and has covered several Olympic Games.

He married Carol in 1991 in Harrow, north-west London, and the couple
settled in Bushey, where they had three daughters.

At the start of the 5 Live commentary for England’s European Championships football semi-final match against the Netherlands on Wednesday night, Mark Chapman’s voice quivered as he said: “This has been a heartbreaking day.
John Hunt is our colleague and our friend, not just to the current Five
Live Sport team but to all those who have worked with him over the past 20 years, and also to all of you who have enjoyed his superb commentaries.

“On behalf of everybody connected to Five Live Sport, our love and
thoughts and support are with John and his family.”

Following the result, former England striker Michael Owen called on people
to “spare a thought” for Mr Hunt and his family in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

He added: “I can’t remember feeling so utterly horrified in years. Those
poor girls. Truly horrific.”

Messages of condolence were posted on social media by figures from the
racing world.

Cornelius Lysaght, a BBC racing correspondent, said: “There are no words.
Like everyone else I feel numb and sick on John’s behalf at such incomprehensible evil.

“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.

“But I know I’m speaking for the whole racing community and the whole
wider sports media community as well, both of which he’s been part of for
so long, when I say everyone is sending sympathy, love and support to him.
It’s just awful.”

Matt Chapman, an ITV and Sky Sports Racing commentator said: “News like
this is shocking enough but on a personal level even more so when it
involves a friend and colleague you totally respect. There are no words
here.”

08:45 PM BST
That’s all for today
This blog has now closed. Thank you for following our coverage.

Here is a summary of today’s events:

A manhunt was launched this morning for Kyle Clifford, 26, after three
women were killed in a crossbow attack at their home in Ashlyn Close,
Bushey

Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were
pronounced dead at the scene

The victims were the wife and two daughters of the BBC Five Live racing commentator John Hunt

The Ministry of Defence confirmed Clifford had served in the Armed Forces

A Home Office spokesman said the Home Secretary is urgently considering
the findings of a review to see if tougher crossbow laws need to be
introduced in the wake of the attack

Police searched an address in Enfield as the hunt for Clifford continued,
with the Met working alongside Hertfordshire Constabulary

Armed police and paramedics were seen rushing into Lavender Hill cemetery
in Enfield

Police confirmed they had found Clifford and that he was receiving medical treatment but said no shots had been fired

The force said they believe Clifford was known to the victims and that the murders were ‘targeted’

Friends and neighbours paid tribute to the victims as flowers were laid
near Ashlyn Close in Bushey, with the local community ‘completely in
shock’

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

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