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10/07/2006
Man arrested following four deaths
Police are continuing to question a former soldier in connection with the deaths of four people found shot dead in their home in Newcastle.
The 40-year-old man walked into Westgate Police Station in Newcastle on Sunday morning, carrying a sports bag containing a handgun fitted with a silencer, a pump-action shotgun and a quantity of ammunition. He told police that a number of people were dead at a house in Benwell Grove.
The man also told police that the bag contained an improvised explosive device, forcing the police station to be evacuated while bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion.
A firearms team found the bodies of Peter and Josie Purcell, both aged 70, and their two sons Glen, 41, and Keith, 44 in the house.
Police believe that all four were killed some time between 9pm on Saturday night and 2:15am on Sunday morning.
Post-mortem examinations were due to begin on Monday afternoon. All the victims appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.
The arrested man is believed to be closely related to the victims and it is also believed that he has a history of mental illness. No one else is being sought in connection with the incident.
Police have refused to confirm media reports that the suspect is a former Gulf War veteran called David Bradley.
Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson said: "As we have a man in custody I am restricted to an extent about what we can say but I would seek to reassure people that incidents such as this are extremely rare indeed. It would appear that those who died were closely related to the man who is in custody.
"We would appeal for information from anyone who saw or heard anything around 45 Benwell Grove from teatime on Saturday onwards, or who has any information about the family which would be of use to us."
The contact number in relation to this incident is 0191 2218509.
(KMcA/SP)
The 40-year-old man walked into Westgate Police Station in Newcastle on Sunday morning, carrying a sports bag containing a handgun fitted with a silencer, a pump-action shotgun and a quantity of ammunition. He told police that a number of people were dead at a house in Benwell Grove.
The man also told police that the bag contained an improvised explosive device, forcing the police station to be evacuated while bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion.
A firearms team found the bodies of Peter and Josie Purcell, both aged 70, and their two sons Glen, 41, and Keith, 44 in the house.
Police believe that all four were killed some time between 9pm on Saturday night and 2:15am on Sunday morning.
Post-mortem examinations were due to begin on Monday afternoon. All the victims appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.
The arrested man is believed to be closely related to the victims and it is also believed that he has a history of mental illness. No one else is being sought in connection with the incident.
Police have refused to confirm media reports that the suspect is a former Gulf War veteran called David Bradley.
Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson said: "As we have a man in custody I am restricted to an extent about what we can say but I would seek to reassure people that incidents such as this are extremely rare indeed. It would appear that those who died were closely related to the man who is in custody.
"We would appeal for information from anyone who saw or heard anything around 45 Benwell Grove from teatime on Saturday onwards, or who has any information about the family which would be of use to us."
The contact number in relation to this incident is 0191 2218509.
(KMcA/SP)
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