Off-duty police officer in ‘critical but stable’ condition after Omagh shooting

An off-duty police officer is in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being shot at a sports complex in Omagh, Northern Ireland.

The officer is understood to have been attacked “in front of young people” at the site at about 8pm on Wednesday. He was taken to Altnagelvin area hospital, Derry, after being shot in Killyclogher Road in the County Tyrone town.

The victim is a senior officer who has been involved in high-profile investigations of paramilitaries and other criminals. It is understood two gunmen approached him.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but suspicion fell on dissident republicans who have made sporadic attacks on security forces in recent years. The New IRA shot dead the journalist Lyra McKee in Derry in 2019 while targeting police.

The last officer to be shot in Northern Ireland was an officer who was in uniform when ambushed at a garage in Belfast in 2017. He survived.

Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, joined the widespread condemnation. “I utterly condemn this grotesque act of attempted murder,” he said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s chief constable, Simon Byrne, said: “I am shocked and saddened by tonight’s events in Omagh.

“The officer is in a critical but stable condition in hospital. My thoughts are with him, his family and his colleagues.

“We will relentlessly pursue those responsible. They have nothing to offer the community.”

Irish police have confirmed they are also investigating. In a statement, the Garda said it is “currently responding to an ongoing incident which took place earlier this evening in Northern Ireland”.

Two sources told Reuters the officer was shot a “number of times”. The Northern Ireland ambulance service said they received a 999 call at 8.02pm after reports of an incident in the Slieveard area of Killyclogher.

A spokesperson said: “NIAS dispatched a rapid response paramedician emergency crew and an ambulance officer to the incident.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, one patient was taken by ambulance to Altnagelvin area hospital.”

The Ulster Unionist party MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Tom Elliott, suggested the officer was shot in front of young people at a football coaching session. He wrote on Twitter: “Terrible news of a police officer being shot in Omagh this evening.

“Shot in front of young people at a football coaching session. Despicable, cowardly action. No place in society for this.”

Politicians across the political spectrum in both the UK and Ireland have condemned the incident.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, called for those responsible to be brought to justice, while the Irish foreign minister, Micheál Martin, said he was “shocked and appalled”.

The DUP leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, condemned the “terrible news”, adding: “We condemn outright the cowards responsible for this. These terrorists have nothing to offer and they must be brought to justice. We stand with the PSNI.”

Michelle O’Neill, the Sinn Féin vice-president, described the shooting as “reprehensible”. She tweeted: “This is an outrageous and shameful attack. My immediate thoughts are with the officer and his family.

“I unreservedly condemn this reprehensible attempt to murder a police officer.”

The SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, said he would be speaking to the PSNI chief constable, Simon Byrne. He said: “That an attack like this took place in Omagh, a place that bears the scars of violence more than many others but where people have shown immense strength, compassion and grace, must make this a powerful moment of reflection for all of us.

“This is a moment to rededicate ourselves to the primacy of peace and resistance against violence. It is a moment for us all, one community and one people, to say we are never going back to this – not in our name.”

Stephen Farry, the deputy leader of the Alliance party, tweeted: “The shooting of an off-duty police officer in Omagh is a despicable and cowardly act.

“We all stand in solidarity with those who keep the community safe & uphold the law.”

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file officers, tweeted: “We totally condemn this appalling & barbaric act of violence on an off-duty officer in Omagh.

“Our thoughts are with our colleague & his family. These gunmen offer nothing to society. Anyone with info should come forward.”

The shooting occurred in the same town where dissident republicans carried out a car bombing on 15 August 1998, which was the worst single atrocity of the Troubles and resulted in the deaths of 29 people.