A MANHUNT has been launched for up to six people after gunshots were heard and a body was pulled from a river following a late-night incident in Southampton.
Police rushed to River Walk in Townhill Park after residents reported being woken by the sound of gunfire.
Officers remained on the scene throughout Friday following the incident that happened at about 1am on Thursday.
Once there, they found a cannabis farm believed to contain more than 100 plants.
On the same night, a man’s body was found in the water at Riverside Park.
No one was at the address but a Jeep Cherokee containing a large amount of cannabis was then located nearby in Riverside Park.
Overnight, officers located a second vehicle thought to be involved in the same incident on River Walk.
Both the Jeep Cherokee and the second vehicle have been seized by police and forensically examined.
Detectives later executed a warrant at an address in the Southampton area on Friday morning as part of their enquiries.
Police now believe up to six people were involved in the incident but no one has been arrested.
The dead man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers however formal identification is yet to take place.
According to police, the man’s death and the cannabis farm on River Walk are being treated as separate cases.
Detective Chief Inspector Justin Torgout said: “We continue to work hard to ascertain the exact circumstances of what happened in River Walk and how this man came to be found in the water.
“River Walk and Riverside Park remains cordoned off at this time to allow us to gather the evidence we need to ensure we conduct a thorough investigation.”
Anyone with information can call 101 and quote Operation Telly, alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and leave information anonymously.
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