John Caldwell – latest: Three arrested after police officer shot in Omagh, Northern Ireland
Three man have been arrested Omagh and Coalisland, County Tyrone after a police officer was shot on Wednesday evening, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed.
Detective chief inspector John Caldwell was loading footballs into his car when masked gunmen opened fire and continued to shoot him in a “brazen and calculated attack,” Northen Ireland Police Service (PSNI) said.
Children waiting to be collected by their parents “ran for cover in sheer terror” as masked gunmen opened fire just metres away.
Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: “This morning we have arrested three men aged 38, 45, and 47, in Omagh and Coalisland in connection with John’s attempted murder.
“They’re currently being questioned by detectives at Musgrave serious crime suite.”
PSNI assistant chief constable Mark McEwan said: “John’s own young son was with him at the time and witnessed the shooting. The trauma inflicted on this young boy is just horrific and he will never forget seeing his dad shot multiple times.”
Mr Caldwell remains in critical condition in hospital.
Key Points
Three men arrested in Northern Ireland after police officer was shot
Police officer shot in front of son after attack in sports complex
‘Masked men’ shoot senior Northern Irish police officer in front of his son
Northern Ireland’s political leaders issue joint statement condemning the shooting
Three men arrested in Northern Ireland after police officer was shot
12:17 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Three man have been arrested Omagh and Coalisland, County Tyrone after a police officer was shot on Wednesday evening, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed.
Detective chief inspector John Caldwell was loading footballs into his car when masked gunmen opened fire and continued to shoot him in a “brazen and calculated attack,” Northen Ireland Police Service (PSNI) said.
Children waiting to be collected by their parents “ran for cover in sheer terror” as masked gunmen opened fire just metres away.
Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: “This morning we have arrested three men aged 38, 45, and 47, in Omagh and Coalisland in connection with John’s attempted murder.
“They’re currently being questioned by detectives at Musgrave serious crime suite.”
PSNI assistant chief constable Mark McEwan said: “John’s own young son was with him at the time and witnessed the shooting. The trauma inflicted on this young boy is just horrific and he will never forget seeing his dad shot multiple times.”
Mr Caldwell remains in critical condition in hospital.
PSNI ‘confident’ they have ‘sufficient resources’ to pursue the offenders
13:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Asked about resources available to the PSNI, Chief Constable Simon Byrne told reporters: “In terms of resources, clearly it’s a question that’s bound to come up at this difficult time.
“Myself and Mark (Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan) are confident we have sufficient resource to pursue the offenders that have committed this crime.
“But clearly in days ahead there may well be wider questions asked about the prospect of losing 800 police officers whilst trying to fight against an uptake in terrorist activity.”
Shooting sent ‘huge shockwaves across organisation'
12:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Speaking about the attack, PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne told reporters: “This has sent a huge shockwave across the organisation.
“We’ve been speaking principally with the Police Federation but also with those representatives of senior officers and police staff who would see themselves under threat.
“Clearly one of the things that defines us is our resilience and our commitment to keep going in dark times and tough times.
“So John knows that his colleagues will now be working tirelessly around the clock to support his recovery but also to bring the offenders that have tried to kill him to swift justice.”
At least 15 children just metres away from gunmen when they opened fire
11:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
At least 15 children from the local Omagh high school were just metres away from the gunmen when they opened fire, according to Sky News.
The children are said to be “emotionally traumatised” following the incident.
‘It’s the one phone call you never want to get'
11:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
When asked how he is coping after a colleague and member of his team was shot, chief constable Simon Byrne said: “It’s the one phone call you never want to get.”
Three men arrested after Omagh shooting, police confirm
11:53 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Chief Constable Simon Byrne confirmed that three men have been arrested in Omagh and Coalisland over the shooting of John Caldwell.
Children ‘ran for cover in sheer terror’ as gunmen opened fire
11:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Speaking at a press briefing, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers said children waiting to be collected by their parents after a football training session “ran for cover in sheer terror” when masked gunmen opened fire at John Caldwell.
Watch: Police at scene where officer was shot in Omagh
11:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
NI secretary says attack on John Caldwell is ‘cowardly and callous'
10:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris described the attack on detective chief inspector John Caldwell as “cowardly and callous”.
He said “a very senior and well-known local police officer” is now in a critical condition in hospital.
Mr Heaton-Harris said the community of Omagh is “completely shocked by this because society has moved on in Northern Ireland”.
He said: “There is no place for violence like this.”
Asked if he was concerned about the safety of PSNI officers, Mr Heaton-Harris said: “I’m always concerned about safety of PSNI officers but they’re completely professional, and in all my experiences with them they know exactly what they’re doing and actually are policing the communities of Northern Ireland really effectively and very, very well.
“But this is a really significant event. It’s a very serious event, and it’s difficult to underline how cowardly these people are.”
He said he will be in Northern Ireland “very shortly”.
Rishi Sunak says he is appalled by ‘disgraceful shooting’ in Omagh
10:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was appalled by the “disgraceful shooting of an off-duty police officer in Omagh”.
Irish premier Leo Varadkar also condemned the “grotesque act of attempted murder”.
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said: “The shooting of a police officer in front of his son is something that will be condemned by all those who believe in democracy and the peace that we all need to sustain.
“It is to be welcomed that members of all communities have expressed their revulsion at this act.”
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said the shooting was “diabolical and unacceptable”, and added there is no excuse or political rationale for it.
She told RTE: “There can be no hiding place for this. There can be no sympathy for this. There is no rhyme or reason politically speaking for a vicious act of thuggery like this.
“Now what we need is an all-Ireland effort co-operation between An Garda Siochana and the PSNI to find the motive for this act, and more importantly to apprehend the perpetrators, and anybody with any evidence or any information must not hesitate in bringing that forward immediately to the appropriate authorities.”
Northern Ireland’s political leaders issue joint statement condemning the shooting
10:22 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance leader Naomi Long, UUP leader Doug Beattie and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said they stand united in outright condemnation of the attack.
“We speak for the overwhelming majority of people right across our community who are outraged and sickened by this reprehensible and callous attempted murder,” they said.
“The community of Omagh has endured profound suffering, loss, and pain in the past which has left a deep trauma, and so this act of violence has left people there rightly angered.
“There is absolutely no tolerance for such attacks by the enemies of our peace.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice.
“This will require the full co-operation of the public whom we call upon to assist police in this attempted murder investigation.
“Together we stand with John’s family and his colleagues in the police service at this time.”
Northern Ireland’s political leaders have issued a joint statement condemning the shooting of a senior police officer in Omagh.
‘Masked men’ shoot senior Northern Irish police officer in front of his son
10:21 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Dissident republican group the New IRA is the primary focus of detectives investigating the shooting of a police detective in Northern Ireland, the force has said.
An off-duty police officer shot in front of his son by masked men in Omagh, Co Tyrone, has been named as Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell.
DCI Caldwell was shot a number of times at the facility in Omagh around 8pm on Wednesday.
He was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry where Northern Ireland’s chief constable Simon Byrne said he was in a critical but stable condition.
Police officer John Caldwell shot in front of son by ‘masked men’ in Northern Ireland
Police officer shot in Northern Ireland after attack in sports complex
10:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A police officer has been shot in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
The man was attacked at a sports complex on the Killyclogher Road in Omagh, police said.
It is understood he was not on duty when he was attacked.
Read more here:
PSNI officer shot in Northern Ireland after attack on Omagh sports complex
10:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Welcome to our liveblog where we will update you on the latest from the shooting of John Caldwell in Omagh, Northern Ireland.
