Police link three deaths and rule out terrorism as officers up presence

Amother and daughter have been killed and a man died in a car crash in three linked incidents.

The two women have been named locally as Emma Robertson Coupland and Nicole Anderson.

The mother, 39, was found injured in the car park of University Hospital Crosshouse, near Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire, at around 7.45pm on Thursday but died at the scene.

In a second incident 20 minutes later on Portland Street, Kilmarnock, Ms Anderson, 24, was stabbed.

She was taken to the hospital at Crosshouse, but later died.

A crash then occurred on a minor road between the B7036 and the A76 on the outskirts of Kilmarnock at around 8.30pm.

The 40-year-old male driver, Steven Robertson, died at the scene.

Police said inquiries suggest the incidents are linked and officers are not looking for anyone else.

Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain said: “A number of locations remain cordoned off as officers continue to conduct inquiries.

“We are working to confirm the full circumstances of what has happened. If anyone has any information which could assist our inquiries, please do contact us.

“Understandably, people will be shocked by what has happened.

“We are still in the process of establishing the full circumstances, however I would like to reassure people that there is no wider threat to the community.

A statement on Thursday night from police said the incidents are not being treated as terrorist-related.

The hospital was locked down following the first incident but that was lifted at around 10.30pm.

Yesterday morning, the hospital’s A&E department and main entrance were open and running as normal while two police vans full of officers remained outside with police tape around part of the car park.

Ahead of the daily Scottish Government coronavirus briefing yesterday lunchtime, Deputy First Minister John Swinney spoke about the “dreadful” events.

He said: “A tragedy like this would be impossible to understand at any time, but after the events of the past year it is particularly shocking that such an incident has taken place at an NHS hospital.

“An investigation is of course ongoing, however Police Scotland have confirmed that the site at Crosshouse Hospital is secure and it is safe for patients and staff.

“For now I simply want to thank the police officers and all of the medical staff who were involved in the response to this incident.”

CORDON: The scene on Portland Street in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, where a 24-year-old woman was stabbed and later died in hospital.

Flowers left at University Hospital Crosshouse.