A person who may have scattered body parts across three blocks of downtown San Francisco on Wednesday was seen on surveillance video, police said.

Though authorities have yet to release a detailed description of the person, officers detained two men and a woman in connection with the incident Wednesday, said Officer Grace Gatpandan. All three were released when detectives determined they were not involved.

“Officers are actively attempting to locate this particular person of interest,” Gatpandan said in a statement.

The first portion of remains was found in a suitcase on the sidewalk on 11th Street between Market and Mission streets about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officers received a call about a suspicious package and made the grisly discovery when they opened the suitcase.


Authorities couldn’t tell if the remains were human or animal until they were examined by the county medical examiner. “This is a gruesome scene,” Gatpandan said.

Gruesome and -- with no one in custody -- potentially alarming for residents.

“I can assure you that our Homicide Investigators are working diligently to apprehend the person responsible and put that person behind bars. If any one feels unsafe they should call the police immediately so we can come to your aid.”

As investigators searched the city’s South of Market neighborhood, human remains were found at additional locations within a three-block radius.


“There was one crime scene -- it was just very large,” Gatpandan said.

Police haven’t determined when all the packages were dropped off or if all the remains belonged to one person.

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna @MattHjourno.