Wife and two daughters of BBC racing commentator killed in crossbow attack

The wife and two daughters of a BBC sports commentator have been killed in a crossbow attack at their home.

Carol Hunt, 61, who was married to BBC 5 Live racing commentator John Hunt, and two of their daughters died in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, Hertfordshire, on Tuesday evening, PA understands.

A massive manhunt has been launched for their suspected killer, Kyle Clifford, 26, who is believed by police to be armed and in Hertfordshire or north London.

The BBC confirmed that Mr Hunt’s wife and two daughters had died, in a post on the broadcaster’s news website.

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

ITV racing commentator Matt Chapman wrote in an entry on X, formerly Twitter: “No words needed for what has happened to @HuntyCaller and family today.

“Impossible to comprehend the pain. Just know we are all here for you John. We love you pal – racing loves you.”

The Amateur Jockeys Association of Great Britain and Beverley Racecourse were among others sending their sympathies.

Armed police searched a home in Rendlesham Road, Enfield, on Wednesday morning as the hunt for Clifford continued.

He is wanted over the deaths of Mrs Hunt and two of her daughters who were aged 25 and 28.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson from Hertfordshire Police told reporters the murders are believed to be “targeted”.

The force also warned the public not to approach the suspect who “may be in possession of a crossbow”.

He said: “Our overarching objective today is to protect public safety and to locate Kyle Clifford, who is wanted in connection with the murder of the three women in what we believe is a targeted incident.

“We have extensive police resources deployed to various locations in north London and also the Bushey area.

“The manhunt also involves armed police officers and specialist search teams responding at pace in the wake of what has been a horrific incident involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used.”

Addressing Clifford directly, he said: “Kyle, if you are seeing or hearing this, please make contact with the police.”

Investigators believe Clifford could be in Hertfordshire or north London.

The force said it is looking at whether the force had contact with the victims or Clifford before the killings.

One neighbour described hearing screams from the suburban home where the three women died on Tuesday.

The 46-year-old who works in the media and lives near the scene but asked not to be named, said “absolute chaos” then broke out as armed police put the road into lockdown.

She told the PA news agency: “It was between 6.30pm and 7pm last night and it literally just sounded like kids, somebody screaming, and then it was more shrill and I was like ‘that’s definitely a woman screaming’, and within 15 minutes, it was absolute chaos.

“We had armed police running down, screaming ‘stay in your house’… they shut us off and basically put us into lockdown.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she is being kept fully updated about the inquiry into the “truly shocking” deaths.

Officers and emergency medical crews including two air ambulances were sent to try to save the women, who were related, but they all died at the scene.

The previous government had considered tightening the laws around crossbows after would-be assassin Jaswant Singh Chail was encouraged by an AI chatbot to break into Windsor Castle on Christmas Day 2021 with a loaded crossbow to kill the late Queen.

Currently, there is no requirement to have a licence for a crossbow, but it is illegal to carry one in public without a reasonable excuse.