Man, 74, died after being hit by bus in Edinburgh city centre - as 'severed head' claims go viral

A 74 year old man sadly died after he was hit by a bus in Edinburgh's Cowgate area on Saturday evening. Following chilling discoveries, including reports of a "severed head" found in the city’s Old Town, forensic tents were spotted along the thoroughfare.

Police Scotland initially indicated attending a "road traffic incident" with bystanders mentioning that several nearby streets were blocked off. The police have now confirmed the fatal accident involving the pedestrian and a single decker bus in the centre of Edinburgh, with officers dispatching to the site about 7.25pm on Saturday, November 2.

Sergeant Louise Birrell from the Road Policing Unit in Edinburgh remarked: "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."

READ MORE: 'Severed head' found on Edinburgh street in gruesome discovery - reports

A local woman recounted the shocking moment when she was informed of the grim discovery while out for drinks. Katie McLaughlin, hailing from Dumfries, was at Bannerman's Bar with friends when they were confined inside post 8pm, reports the Mirror.

The 31 year old revealed to the Daily Record: "He said police were outside and a severed head had been found in the Cowgate. I almost laughed because it's Halloween weekend and I thought it was a prank."

A witness recounted the moment they realised the severity of the situation in Cowgate, Edinburgh, saying: "We went to the bar where the staff said, no, it's real. They said that the police had ordered them to shut the pub. They then let us all leave by the back door but we were able to have a look down the street. I saw three police cars and five police officers and a small silver tent. The police were taping off the area. We are in another pub now. The whole area is sealed off. It just seems so surreal."

In a separate incident shared on TikTok, a woman claimed she was being arrested when the officers attending her abruptly left for the scene at Cowgate. She described how their faces "turned white" as they raced off, allegedly driving "doing 100mph minimum to get to Edinburgh."

A Police Scotland spokesperson had earlier provided an update on the situation: "Emergency services are responding to a road traffic incident in Cowgate, Edinburgh. Blair Street, Guthrie Street, Candlemaker Road are closed. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes. Thank you for your patience."

Edinburgh Live reported that locals were evacuated from various venues around Cowgate, including those attending an event at Mash House nightclub. Bachata Blues Edinburgh, the event organisers, issued a statement confirming the closure of all Cowgate venues following police instructions due to a major incident: "Following police instructions, all Cowgate venues are going to be closed tonight due to a major incident."

"All ways to enter Cowgate are cut off. Unfortunately, we have to cancel tonight's event as Mash House will remain closed all night, following police instructions. We will be back soon and hope to reschedule our night as soon as possible! ".