Redcar Council Calls Urgent Meeting After 9 Deaths, as Police Probe Organised Crime Links
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 27
Redcar Council Calls Urgent Meeting After 9 Deaths, as Police Probe Organised Crime Links
2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 27
Summary
Alec Brown has convened an urgent Friday meeting of councillors, police and social housing providers after nine people died in South Bank and Grangetown within a week.
Seven people — including PCs Matthew Blades and Tom Clough — were killed Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat drove the wrong way on the A66 and hit a police vehicle near South Bank.
Police have arrested 17 people aged 18 to 61 across Teesside over the lead-up to that crash, on offences including firearm possession and involvement in an organised crime group.
In Grangetown, Natalie McDonald, 34, and her seven-year-old niece Valentina Foster died in Wednesday's house fire; a 48-year-old woman remains critical and two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Brown said residents in deprived areas may feel "left behind" but deserve to feel safe at home, while police said they cannot rule out wider organised crime links to the fire.