Police have released a major update
A PENSIONER has died after he was hit by a single-decker bus in a late night horror crash which left him with a “severed head”.
The 74-year-old was killed in the accident on Edinburgh’s Cowgate as Halloween revellers partied nearby.
Forensic officers at the Cowgate
The road and surrounding streets were shut for several hours
It’s believed the man fell onto the road and was struck by a bus, suffering catastrophic injuries.
A number of roads in the area were closed to allow officers to carry out their investigation, however the roads have since re-opened.
Sergeant Louise Birrell, Road Policing Unit, Edinburgh: “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.
“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.
“Anyone with information is asked to call the police via 101. Please quote incident number 3395 of Saturday, 2 November 2024.”
Meanwhile, police also urged people to avoid sharing images and videos of the incident being circulated online.
Chief Inspector Trisha Clark, the local area commander, said:
“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.
“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.
“This was a tragic incident. We are investigating a crash, and our road policing officers, assisted by local officers, are continuing to carry out enquiries.”
“Anyone with concerns or any information which could assist the investigation should contact police.”
Pictures and videos seen by the Scottish Sun appear to show the aftermath of the horror incident last night as revellers enjoyed Halloween nights-out.
A CCTV video circulating on social media reportedly shows a group in fancy dress reacting after discovering what appears to be a head on the road.
Venues were ordered to shut by police immediately after what was initially described as a “road traffic incident”.
A reveller who was out drinking in the Supercube karaoke bar claimed he was told to evacuate after a man’s head was discovered just metres away.
The pub-goer explained: “I was in Supercube karaoke bar with friends when we were rushed out and told to evacuate.
“We were told a serious incident had taken place but the police would not advise of any more details.
“Someone said the bouncer had a photo of a human head just ten metres away from the bar door.
“I heard rumours they were reporting it as a car accident, but there were so many ambulances and police vans with sniffer dogs – and a tent.
“We had to completely relocate as the whole area was cordoned off.”