Human remains found in suitcase on San Francisco sidewalk

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco police on Wednesday discovered human body parts stuffed inside a suitcase that had been ditched on the sidewalk of a downtown street, officials said.

Police closed off blocks around the package around 4:15 p.m. and found more remains after searching the area, police spokeswoman Grace Gatpandan said in a statement.

The city medical examiner confirmed that the remains were human, but could not determine whether they belonged to one person or multiple victims, Gatpandan said.

Police are seeking a person of interest in the case, but declined to release information on the suspect as the homicide investigation was ongoing.

A "suspicious package" report yesterday afternoon led San Francisco police to a wheeled suitcase filled with dismembered human body parts in the city's South of Market neighborhood, just blocks from the headquarters of Twitter, Uber, and other high-tech companies.

CNN reported on the grisly discovery:

"We do have people of interest that homicide investigators are speaking to," Officer Grace Gatpandan said. Detectives are also reviewing surveillance camera footage and officers are looking for a suspect. She declined to identify the suspect.

The Los Angeles Times reported that remains were also found at three locations within a three-block radius. Asked about the reporting, a police spokeswoman told CNN there are no updates.

There were other items around the suitcase, Gatpandan said. The gender and age of the person were unclear.

KGO TV is reporting that the suitcase contained "a torso," and has some insight from a resident as to why the suitcase was left at the high-traffic intersection of 11th and Mission Streets:

"The person who did it has got to want to be caught, this is a camera gulch right here," said one man.