Two men and woman dead in Aberdeen tower block disturbance Published duration 20 July 2016

media caption Police say they are treating the deaths of a man and a woman in a tower block in Aberdeen as a double murder

Police are searching the area around a tower block in Aberdeen where a woman and two men died in a disturbance.

Officers are investigating whether one of the men fell from a 12th floor balcony of the 19-storey Donside Court, in the Tillydrone area of the city.

Emergency services were called to the building at about 20:15 on Tuesday evening.

A witness has described hearing a woman screaming "help me, help me" before police arrived.

Police Scotland said it believed the incident was contained and there was not a threat to the wider community.

A blue forensics tent had been erected inside a police cordon at the foot of the building, close to the main entrance.

image caption A blue forensics tent has been erected outside the 19-storey tower block

An eyewitness said they saw a man fall from the 12th floor of the building, which police confirmed they were pursuing as a line of inquiry.

Another witness, Toni Dey, 19, who lives a short distance away in Gordon's Mills Road, said she heard screaming from the block.

The mother of two said: "I heard some girl screaming 'Help me, help me', then about 10 minutes after I heard loads of screaming and shouting.

"I didn't call the police as I thought it was kids messing around, then I heard loads of police.

"It's very scary to think that something like that had happened. All I kept thinking was 'Why was that poor girl shouting help me?', and about a two-minute walk out my back door.

"I just moved in here in May and it's been so quiet. I was shocked to hear anything as I never normally do."

'Early stages'

Another woman told BBC Scotland that she had known one of the men involved, describing him as a "nice boy".

Det Supt Dave McLaren said further information about the incident would be released in due course.

"At this time the investigation is in its very early stages," he said.

"However, the circumstances as they present at this time would indicate that this is a contained incident and we are not looking for any other person in relation to the deaths."

Police dismissed reports on social media that a police officer had been injured and said there was no suggestion the incident was terrorism-related.

image caption Police search teams are examining the area around the building

Neighbour Susan Smith said police initially went up to the flat carrying what looked like a battering ram.

"There were loads and loads of police cars. I've never seen so many police cars. Four ambulance vans," she said.

"They took a lassie out and they were still trying to give the guy CPR. Then they put a tent up and the next thing forensics arrived.

"The police actually went in with a great thing like a battering ram at one point. Then they went in with stretchers and a chair thing - and came out with them empty."

Councillor Martin Greig, chairman of Aberdeen Community Safety Partnership, said: "There will be families grieving profoundly at this terrible news.

"Our sympathies are with those who have lost loved ones.

"The local community and the city will share feelings of shock at this violent incident."