Two men have been killed and a third seriously wounded in a "horrific" stabbing after reports of a man being hit by a car.
A double murder investigation has been launched after the incident in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, early this morning.
Police swarmed the scene after reports of a man being struck by a vehicle in Tithe Farm Road at 1.18am.
Emergency services then attended and found three men with stab wounds.
Two were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
The victims have yet to be formally identified but specially trained officers are supporting family members.
A large police presence remains in the town while investigations are carried out to establish the full facts and to identify those responsible.
Additional patrols will also be in the area over the coming days to help reassure residents who have been left rocked by the news.
Detective Superintendent Carl Foster from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: “This was a horrific incident which has resulted in two young men losing their lives and a third suffering very serious injuries.
"I understand how concerning this will be for residents, however from what we know so far we believe this to be a contained incident with no wider ongoing threat to the public.
“There can be absolutely no excuse for such violence and we will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.
"The area was fairly busy at the time and I would urge anyone who saw what happened, or anything leading up to it, to contact police."
