On Monday morning Colchester was rocked by three serious incidents in the space of just 14 hours.
Police descended on the town after a stabbing, murder and then boiling water attack.
They have upped patrols in a bid to reassure the public.
Here is how the events over the last three days unfolded.
Sunday 10pm
Police are called to George Street after a man had been stabbed in the back.
His injuries were serious but not believed to be life threatening.
He was rushed to hospital.
The road remained cordoned off on Monday.
Monday 8.20am
Police were called by the ambulance service shortly after reports a man had been found dead in Ryegate Road.
He had suffered a stab wound to his back.
Police launched a murder investigation.
A woman who found the body said passersby believed he was sleeping.
Leigh Jones, 31, was on the school run when she saw the man sitting on the floor and another woman looking distressed.
She stopped to see if she could help but said it became clear the man had died.
Monday 11am
In a third incident a man was doused with water by police officers as they treated him for injuries.
Police were guarding the scene of a stabbing in George Street, Colchester, when they were approached by a man who was in distress.
The officers then asked the man to remove his shirt and got water from a nearby hotel and began treating the man for his injuries.
After another man was pointed out by the victim, two officers chased him down the High Street on street before making an arrest in West Stockwell Street.
His injuries are thought to have been caused by having boiling water thrown at him.
The third incident happened at around 11am and police said it is not related to the stabbing or murder.
READ MORE: Everything we know about three town centre incidents
Monday 12pm
Stunned residents told our reporter of their shock after the stabbing and murder.
The roads are just metres away and people living in Maidenburgh Street, which is in between said it was not unusual to see groups of people congregating and shouting.
One resident said: “I saw him and thought he was a rough sleeper but the way he was sitting there.
“We get a lot of them in the road or in the car park and it isn’t unusual.”
Monday 6pm
A top detective said the two incidents are linked and described them as targeted but isolated.
Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “We are keeping an open mind as to the motives behind these violent incidents, however we are treating them as linked."
Tuesday
Will Quince calls for violent crime summit in Colchester.
The MP wrote to Home Secretary Sajid Javid asking him to attend a meeting.
Mr Quince held an urgent meeting with policing minister Nick Hurd and Vicky Atkins, the minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability, to raise the issues in the context of a perceived rise in violent crime and showed them Gazette coverage of the incidents.
READ MORE: Will Quince calls for crime summit
In his letter to Mr Javid, the Conservative said: "Colchester is a safe town, but we have recently seen a number of targeted and isolated violent incidents which are of great concern to me and the constituents I serve.
"I am writing to ask you to join me at a serious violent crime summit to look at ways in which we can together tackle this unacceptable spate of violence in Colchester."
Tuesday 3pm
Police name the murder victim as Carl Hopkins, 49.
A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Our enquiries are progressing and we believe both incidents are drugs related and isolated in nature
"We have increased patrols in the town centre to provide extra reassurance and continue to ask anyone with concerns or information about either incident to speak to officers."
READ MORE: Police name murder victim
Can you help police?
Call police on 101 if you have any information about the incidents.
You can also report online at www.essex.police.uk/do-itonline
Alternatively, contact the Crimestoppers charity 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org
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