The 74-year-old pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash last night
A 74 year old man tragically lost his life after being hit by a bus in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh on Saturday night. This follows reports of a “severed head” discovered in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, with chilling images showing forensic tents set up along the street.
Police Scotland initially reported responding to a “road traffic incident”, as eyewitnesses described several nearby streets cordoned off. The force has now confirmed that a man died after being hit by a single-decker bus in the city centre.
Officers were called to the scene around 7.25pm last night, Saturday, November 2. Sergeant Louise Birrell from the Road Policing Unit in Edinburgh said today: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died. Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of this incident.”
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After a number of gruesome photos were shared online in the wake of the incident, Chief Inspector Trisha Clark, the local area commander, issued a warning over social media content.
She said: “Officers have spoken to a number of people who were in the area at the time and work is ongoing to check public and private CCTV footage. We are still keen to hear from anyone who has not yet spoken to police.
“If you have any information about what happened, then please get in touch.
Following the sharing of a number of disturbing photos online after the incident, local area commander Chief Inspector Trisha Clark issued a warning about social media content, reports the Mirror.
She stated: “We are aware of videos and images circulating on social media which are causing distress to the deceased’s family and those viewing them inadvertently.”
We would ask members of the public not to share them out of respect for his family, and to report them to the relevant social media platform to prevent further circulation.”
She said: “There has been a lot of speculation, and I would like to reassure the local community that this was an isolated incident and there is no risk to the wider public. Anyone with concerns or any information which could assist the investigation should contact police.”
A local resident, Katie McLaughlin, recounted her experience to the Daily Record: “He said police were outside and a severed head had been found in the Cowgate. I almost laughed because it’s Halloween weekend and I thought it was a prank.”
A witness described the scene, saying: “We went to the bar where the staff said, no, it’s real.
They said that the police had ordered them to shut the pub. They then let us all leave by the back door but we were able to have a look down the street.
“I saw three police cars and five police officers and a small silver tent. The police were taping off the area.
“We are in another pub now. The whole area is sealed off. It just seems so surreal.”
People were evacuated from pubs and clubs in the Cowgate area, including an event at the Mash House nightclub. The organisers, Bachata Blues Edinburgh, said: “Following police instructions, all Cowgate venues are going to be closed tonight due to a major incident.
“A woman claimed on TikTok that she was being arrested in a separate incident when police suddenly left to attend the scene in Cowgate. She alleged that the officers’ faces “turned white” as they sped off at high speed to get to Edinburgh.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland earlier stated: “Emergency services are responding to a road traffic incident in Cowgate, Edinburgh. Blair Street, Guthrie Street, Candlemaker Road are closed. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes. Thank you for your patience.”
They also urged anyone with information on the incident to contact the police by calling 101, quoting incident number 3395 of Saturday, 2 November 2024.
