Horrified revellers mistook ‘decapitation’ tragedy as Halloween stunt after man fell into path of bus
HORRIFIED revellers thought Edinburgh’s “decapitation” tragedy was a Halloween stunt after a man fell into the path of a bus.
The victim, 74, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash in the Cowgate area at around 7.25pm on Saturday.
It’s believed the man fell onto the road and was struck by a bus in the horror – as Halloween revellers gathered nearby.
Pictures and videos seen by The Sun, which we have chosen not to publish, appear to show the aftermath of the horror incident.
Police Scotland has since asked members of the public to refrain from sharing pictures and videos of the distressing scene.
Venues were ordered to shut by police immediately after what was initially described as a “road traffic incident”.
The man is understood to have fallen into the road before he was struck by a bus, suffering catastrophic injuries.
A number of roads were subsequently closed as officers launched a probe into what had taken place.
One reveller who was out drinking at 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.
He added: “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.”
Emergency services rushed to the scene after the alarm was raised and police locked down the scene.
Sergeant Louise Birrell, of Police Scotland, said: “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.”
Cops are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the pensioner’s death and are urging any witnesses to get in touch.
Chief Inspector Trisha Clark, the local area commander, added: “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.”