A father and son were shot dead last night in separate incidents in Cambridgeshire in what police describe as ‘targeted’ murders.
Detective chief superintendent Jon Hutchinson, of Cambridgeshire Police, confirmed this afternoon the relationship between both shootings.
He explained that his officers had quickly established the connection between the shootings at Bluntisham and at Sutton, a few miles away.
Police say their primary line of investigation is that of a “familial issue” and could involve a custody battle.
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder following the shootings.
Det Chief Supt Hutchinson said that may change “as information develops in the hours ahead”.
Police were called to a house in Meridian Close, Bluntisham, at just after 9pm yesterday (29 March) with reports of gunshots.
They arrived to find the body of a 32-year-old man inside the house with a gunshot wound and are now treating his death as murder.
Then at 9.37pm, police received a call from a person in Sutton, near Ely, again reporting hearing gunshots.
The body of a 57-year-old man was found at a house in The Row with gunshot wounds and his death is also being treated as murder.
“We are not in a position to name either victim at this stage as formal identification has not been carried out,” said a police spokesperson.
A 27-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were arrested in the early hours of today in a hotel in Cambridge, while a 66-year-old man was arrested in the Worcester area after a motorway stop by police.
All three were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
A car that was believed to have been used by the offender, a white Peugeot 208, and a shotgun have been recovered.
The houses in Meridian Close and The Row have been cordoned off and police officers remain at the scenes.
Detective Inspector Mark Butler, from the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire major crime unit, said: “These events will be shocking to local people and there will be understandable concerns within local communities.
“However, we are treating the attacks as targeted and there is no wider risk to the general public. There will be an increased police presence in the areas concerned today and officers and scenes of crime officers will be at the scenes throughout the day.
“Our thoughts also go out to the family and friends of the victims. Specially trained officers are in touch with them, and they are helping our investigation.
“Detectives are now beginning inquiries into how these events unfolded and we are appealing to anyone who was in either area and saw anyone acting suspiciously or a white Peugeot 208.
“Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could be very important to our investigation.”
Anyone with information should report online here or via the web chat service and quote Operation Scan.
Those without internet access should call 101.
