Summary

  • Bedfordshire Police have arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of murder as part of a triple murder investigation in Luton

  • Three people were pronounced dead at the scene after officers were called to a 15-storey tower block in the Marsh Farm area at about 05:30

  • Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy says a weapon has been recovered, and the force is not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident

  • No details of the victims will be released until next-of-kin have been informed, he says

  1. As it happened: Murder inquiry unfolds at tower blockpublished at 15:34 British Summer Time 13 September

    Our live coverage of events at the Leabank block of flats in Luton is coming to an end.

    Bedfordshire Police have arrested an 18-year-old man after three people were found injured and died in a flat in the Marsh Farm area of town.

    Any updates on Friday will appear here.

  2. Increased police presence in Marsh Farmpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 13 September

    A police van is parked in front of a field where forensic investigators and police officers are working.Image source, DJ McLaren/BBC

    There will be an increased police presence in the Marsh Farm area of Luton.

    Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy encouraged people to speak to officers if they had any concerns or information.

    He said: "I can absolutely understand people being scared. This is an unusual event in any community.

    "I reiterate this is an isolated threat that we believe at this stage has been mitigated by the arrest of an individual."

  3. Incident took place entirely in block of flatspublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 13 September

    Bedfordshire's Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy talking to the media outside the force's headquarters in Kempston

    Asked about a police cordon outside, Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy said the incident itself took place entirely within the block of flats.

    "There is a slightly wider search that was completed in order to locate and arrest the suspect," he said.

    "The area which has been cordoned in the wider area is likely to be the place where that arrest was made."

  4. Police not looking for anybody elsepublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 13 September

    An officer wearing a high vis jacket stands near a piece of police tape near the block of flats.Image source, Bedfordshire Police

    Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy said the force was not looking for anybody else in relation to the ongoing investigation.

    The force has said it did not believe there was any wider threat to the wider community.

  5. No details on victims at this timepublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 13 September

    Details such as age or sex of the victims will not be released to the public until next-of-kin have been contacted.

    Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy said the force was focused on supporting relatives at this time.

  6. Weapon discovered in the areapublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 13 September

    Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy says that, following the arrest, officers conducted a number of searches in the area, and that those searches resulted in the recovery of a weapon.

    He doesn't provide further details about what kind of weapon was found.

  7. The media briefing has startedpublished at 14:12 British Summer Time 13 September
    Breaking

    The media briefing has started at Bedfordshire Police HQ.

  8. We are waiting for the press conference to startpublished at 14:07 British Summer Time 13 September

    The front entrance of the three-storey Bedfordshire Police headquarters at Kempston near Bedford - a red brick buildingImage source, PA Media

    Officers are due to talk to the media from Bedfordshire Police's headquarters at Kempston.

    The BBC News channel is taking a live feed from the press conference - you can watch it by clicking the "Watch live" button at the top of this page.

    The BBC News channel is also available via the BBC iPlayer.

  9. Drone footage of Marsh Farmpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 13 September

    Media caption,

    Police launch triple murder inquiry in Luton block of flats

    Drone footage shows investigators wearing white forensic clothing in a field near Wauluds Bank Drive.

    A large group of officers can also be seen next to the entrance to an underpass near the distinctive blue blocks of flats.

  10. Dad woken up by screaming childrenpublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 13 September

    Davy Bridgestock, wearing an LFC sports top and a hat, standing in front of the blue cladding of LeabankImage source, DJ McLaren/BBC

    Davy Bridgestock lives in the Leabank block of flats with his family.

    He recalled: "I woke up to my boys screaming in the morning. Looking out the window I saw police everywhere.

    "I didn't know what to do, whether to leave the block of flats or not.

    "It's pretty scary when you have kids in a block of flats."

    He added: "Normally it's quite quiet; everyone normally says hello; it's friendly."

  11. Neighbour says deaths are 'gut-wrenching'published at 13:18 British Summer Time 13 September

    A woman wearing a pink coat and a necklace that with the letter M is standing in front of LeabankImage source, DJ McLaren/BBC

    Mia lives in a block of flats near Leabank.

    She was awake at about 05:30 when she heard shouting and sirens.

    "I didn't think anything of it... I thought something was going on further up, it wasn't until I left my home this morning I saw the police," she said.

    "It's very gut-wrenching to hear something like that happen on your doorstep; it's not nice at all.

    "It's very sad."

  12. 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murderpublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 13 September

    The 18-year-old man was arrested in neighbouring Bramingham Road on suspicion of murder.

    Det Supt Rob Hall says there is no threat to the wider community.

    "We appreciate people will be concerned, so there will be an increased presence of community police officers in and around the area today and over the coming days to answer questions and provide reassurance,” he adds.

  13. Three injured people died at scenepublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 13 September

    Police were responding to concerns about the welfare of some residents when they discovered three injured people in a flat in Leabank.

    All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

    Det Supt Rob Hall said: "This is a truly appalling incident which has sadly resulted in the tragic deaths of three people.

    "We understand this news will be incredibly shocking, but please be assured we will work tirelessly to establish the full circumstances surrounding these deaths."

  14. Police confirm triple murder inquirypublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 13 September
    Breaking

    The force has confirmed it has begun a triple murder inquiry after three people died at a tower block in Marsh Farm in Luton.

    An 18-year-old man has been arrested.

    The force is holding a media conference at 14:00.

  15. Residents worry for their safetypublished at 12:26 British Summer Time 13 September

    A woman is just visible on her blue coloured balcony. Windows are on either side. The balconies are covered in a safety netting.Image source, Nicola Haseler/BBC

    Sanda, another resident of the Leabank tower block, spoke to the BBC from her third-floor balcony, which has netting covering the open space.

    She says people who live in the flat are worried about their safety and the police have not given them any information yet.

  16. Police will update at 14:00published at 12:18 British Summer Time 13 September

    Bedfordshire Police say it will update the media at 14:00 at its headquarters in Kempston.

  17. Armed police on the school runpublished at 12:07 British Summer Time 13 September

    The block of flats towers above some green trees. A concrete path leads to the brown wooden entrance.Image source, Nicola Haseler/BBC

    Corine, who works for the NHS and lives on the top floor at Leabank, described the incident as "sad".

    He says although the area has a "bad reputation" it is home to "hard working people".

    "Taking the kids to school in the morning, we were in the lift with armed police, there was quite a few of them," he added.

    "My son was quite fascinated by all the gear they had, but it was still a shock for them to see that first thing in the morning."

  18. Police briefing planned for afternoonpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 13 September

    The outside of Luton police station. It is a multi-story office building with red bricks and windows.Image source, Google

    Bedfordshire Police, external said it planned to hold a media briefing this afternoon.

    Officer have not yet confirmed how many people are involved in the incident.

  19. Update: Incident being treated as murderpublished at 11:38 British Summer Time 13 September

    Bedfordshire Police is telling the BBC it is treating the incident as a murder inquiry.