suspects
n. countable B1 Intermediate US //ˈsəsˌpɛkts// sus·pects
n. people who the police think might have committed a crime. You use this word before the police have any proof.
n. individuals believed to be possibly responsible for a specific crime or misdeed. Often used in legal or investigative contexts before formal charges are filed.
The police are questioning three suspects about the robbery.
After reviewing the security footage, detectives identified two primary suspects who had entered the building after hours.
While the investigation initially focused on internal staff, the discovery of forced entry led the forensic team to consider external suspects with specialized mechanical knowledge.
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'question', 'detain', or 'identify'.