In a scene of unimaginable horror, a quiet cul-de-sac in Bushey, Hertfordshire, was terrorized by a brutal attack that left a mother and her two daughters dead. The perpetrator, Kyle Clifford, 26, allegedly carried out the killings with a crossbow after a tumultuous breakup with one of the victims. Clifford was later found with self-inflicted injuries in a cemetery following a massive police manhunt.
The Attack
Around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, neighbours heard piercing screams from a home on Ashlyn Close, initially mistaking them for a distressed child. The screams, it turned out, were the desperate cries for help from Louise Hunt, 25, her sister Hannah, 28, and their mother Carol, 61, as they were ambushed by Clifford. The women were tied up and shot with a 3-foot-long crossbow in their own home.
Despite the swift response of police and emergency services, the three women were pronounced dead at the scene. BBC horse racing commentator John Hunt, husband and father to the victims, was contacted by officers as he returned from working at Lingfield Park.
The Manhunt
Clifford, a former soldier, was seen fleeing the scene with a crossbow concealed under a white sheet. Neighbours reported seeing him calmly striding away from the house, and a nearby doorbell camera captured him carrying a heavy bag, possibly containing additional weapons.
A national manhunt ensued, with Clifford being named by police in an unusual step to hasten his capture. He was described as armed and dangerous, with the public warned not to approach him. Clifford, who had briefly served in the Queen’s Dragoon Guards, had recently been in a relationship with Louise Hunt, ending just a week before the attack.
How Bushey Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford terrorised Quiet Cul de sac after a ‘messy breakup’
Capture and Aftermath
The hunt culminated in Clifford being found with self-inflicted injuries at Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, just a few miles from the crime scene. Armed police and paramedics responded swiftly, and Clifford was stretchered away and taken to Royal London Hospital for treatment.
Community in Shock
Neighbours and friends are reeling from the brutal attack. Louise Hunt ran a dog grooming business from the home, and her recent breakup with Clifford had left her visibly shaken, leading to a car accident just days before the incident. Her sister Hannah, a local beautician, was remembered as always having a smile and being hard-working.
John Hunt, known to millions as a BBC horse racing commentator, is said to be inconsolable. The BBC released a statement expressing their support for Hunt, and the British Horseracing Authority extended their condolences, vowing to support him through this tragedy.
Background
The Clifford family has a troubling history. Kyle Clifford’s older brother, Bradley Clifford, was convicted of murder six years ago following a high-speed chase and fatal assault in Enfield. He is currently serving a life sentence.
Community Support
In the wake of the tragedy, neighbours and friends have been laying flowers at the scene, paying tribute to the Hunt family. Su Kehinde, a neighbour, remembered them as “beautiful souls” who did not deserve such a fate
