Residents were shocked to waken up yesterday morning to discover all the police activity, and said their thoughts were with the dead man’s loved ones.
As police began searching for clues and banging on doors, members of the community said it generally a “pretty safe” area.
One local woman, Pamela Paterson, said: “It comes as a real shock because usually it’s a pretty safe area.”
And John Hutcheon said: “I must have slept all through it because the first I heard was on the radio and I came to have a look.
“I thought it must have been something big that’s happened because there was such a strong police force about.
“It’s been bad here in the past but the last few years have been really quiet. I can’t believe it’s happened.”
Forensics officers were also seen investigating around a cordoned off building on the nearby Willowbank Place.
Margaret Gee, who lives nearby, said: “The only thing I saw was police this morning in high visibility jackets looking about.
“We have been in this house for 50 years and I’ve never seen anything like this at all.
“I just thought it had been a car accident or something to begin with until I had a proper look and saw that there were so many cordons up.”
Northfield and Mastrick north councillor Gordon Graham urged anyone with information to share it with police.
He said: “That part of Mastrick is usually peaceful so I’m sure this incident will come as a shock to the residents there.
“My sympathies go out to the family and anyone affected.
“If anyone has any information they should contact police. No matter how insignificant you might think it is it could prove very important for the police investigation.”
