A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after “three generations of the same family” were found stabbed to death at a home in southeast London.
Police forced entry to a home in Delaford Road, Bermondsey, at about 1.40am on Monday after neighbours heard “screaming”.
Three women aged in their mid-60s, 40s and 30s and a man in his mid-60s were pronounced dead at the scene after they were found with suspected stab injuries.
A man in his late 20s was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to a south London police station, where he remains in custody. Police say it is believed all five people were known to each other.
A visibly distressed relative who visited the scene to “see it with her own eyes” after struggling to believe the news, said the victims were her aunt and uncle, their daughter, and their granddaughter.
The woman, named Venecia Reid, told The Independent her mother’s sister, Dolet Hill, used to work as a house keeper at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital.
She described Ms Hill as a “very nice lady, very friendly, she is a Christian”.
Ms Reid said the family, who she described as “really close”, originally moved to the UK from Jamaica.
“She looks over everybody,” she said of her aunt. “They didn’t deserve this. She is a very lovely lady.”
Ms Reid said the couple’s other daughter is thought to have raised the alarm.
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, the Metropolitan Police commander for Southwark, said: “I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of all those concerned.
“This is a deeply shocking incident and we will do everything we can to provide support to everyone affected at this difficult time.”
Pictures taken in Bermondsey on Monday morning showed police tents and forensic officers at the scene as detectives continued to investigate.
Four forensic tents were set up outside the house, and a metal barrier was set up to block off Delaford Road.
One 55-year-old neighbour, who did not want to be named, told The Independent that “probably about 1am I heard some screaming”.
“I was dozing off,” he said, “I heard some screaming so I opened the window and looked around but I didn’t see anything so I went back to bed, turned the TV up.
“As I was dozing off again, I heard helicopters hovering above which were driving me mad so I got up and saw police cars and the police were lighting the area up like it was a carnival out here.
“I saw all the guys in suits and four ambulances and I knew it was something serious.”
Anne Birkett, 60, whose back bedroom looks onto the property, said she was woken by police sirens and a circling helicopter just before 2am.
She said the street was filled with flashing lights, but she and her husband did not go outside their house or see anything further.
Ms Birkett said: “It’s devastating, you hear all of this but you never assume it’s going to be right on your own doorstep.
“I’m a foster carer and I’ve got children in my care and now I’ve got to protect them now because of what’s happened”.
She said there are several primary schools in the residential area near the scene on Delaford Road.
A resident of the adjacent road, Bramcote Grove, who did not want to be named, said he was woken at around 2am by police sirens and a helicopter and was kept up until 6am by the commotion.
“When I saw four ambulances – not one, not two, but four – I knew it was serious,” he said.
Tony Birkett, 65, who lives nearby, said: “I was asleep and didn’t know anything until my daughter came into our room at about 2.30am and said: ‘Do you know there’s armed police down the street?’
“I looked out of the window this whole street was covered in armed police cars - there were about nine of them.”
Mr Birkett said that a police officer told him “they’re going to be here for a couple of days”.
“It’s a quiet area - you can hear a pin drop at night,” he added.
Harriet Harman, Labour MP for Camberwell and Peckham, told The Independent: “Everyone is shocked and horrified; nobody expects four people to be killed, let alone in what is a peaceful and well settled neighbourhood.
“My sympathy goes to the family and friends affected by this devastating crime.
“Last time I was on the road knocking on doors, I was generally chatting with the residents about how nice all the front gardens are and what a lovely community it is so it’s terrible to be back there in such awful circumstances.
“People should still give information to the police, even though they have already arrested someone.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “I am heartbroken that three women and a man were killed last night in a devastating incident at an address in Southwark. My thoughts are with the family and friends who have lost loved ones in this awful crime.
“I am in contact with the leadership of the Metropolitan Police.”
Post-mortem examinations will be arranged in due course.
Additional reporting by Press Association
