Fermanagh shooting: Two children and woman killed while man remains in hospital
A fourth person, a man, remains in a serious condition in hospital.
Advertisement
Superintendent Robert McGowan confirmed that all four people suffered gun shot wounds.
The scene in the Drummeer Road area of Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh. Photo: Oliver McVeigh/PA
Police said the incident happened in the Drummeer Road area of Maguiresbridge, and that officers were at the scene which had been cordoned off.
Speaking in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Superintendent McGowan said that two people were pronounced dead at the scene while a third person died in hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said they received a 999 call at 8.21am on Wednesday, and dispatched three emergency ambulances, one rapid response paramedic, two ambulance officers and an ambulance doctor to the scene.
Advertisement
Superintendent McGowan said: 'Earlier this morning police received a report of an incident in Maguiresbridge.
'Officers, along with their colleagues in the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, attended a house in the Drummeer Road area.
'Tragically, despite best medical efforts, two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Sadly, I can confirm that a third person has this afternoon passed away in hospital.
'The fourth person, who was taken to hospital, remains in a condition described as serious.
Advertisement
'All four had sustained gun shot wounds and I can confirm that all four individuals are from the same household.
'I am keen first and foremost to express my sympathy to the family members and loved ones who are today left in total shock and who will struggle to come to terms with their unimaginable loss.
'Detectives have now commenced a murder investigation and are working at pace to determine the circumstances.
'This is a quiet rural location and I'm aware that this tragic event will have sent shockwaves of sadness throughout the community.'
Advertisement
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: 'The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.
'My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh.
'I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.'
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen expressed her deep shock.
Advertisement
'Firstly my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time,' the Sinn Fein representative said.
'I am in contact with the police around this ongoing situation.
'Police are currently at the scene of an incident outside Maguiresbridge and there are a number of road closures while they carry out their investigations.
'I would urge people to not speculate on the details of this tragic and shocking incident.'
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine described a truly shocking incident which has 'stunned the entire community'.
Ireland
Judge criticises delay in assessing Mary Ward murd...
Read More
'The area of Maguiresbridge where this has happened is a rural, quiet area and everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,' she said.
'My deepest condolences are with the families of those who have been killed as a result of this incident. Their lives have been turned upside down this morning.
'This morning I was speaking to police dealing with the incident. I paid tribute to the emergency services at the scene. I also appeal for privacy to allow the PSNI to carry out their investigations.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
a few seconds ago
- BBC News
Lancashire man raped two girls and sexually attacked two boys
A predatory paedophile raped two teenage girls and sexually assaulted two nine-year-old boys in a Police said the attacks by Joseph Turner, 22, from Rawtenstall, had a "long-lasting impact" on his victims - one of whom he had given a ring to as his "wife" - and their was jailed for 26 years after being convicted at Burnley Crown Court for a string of sexual offences and violent assaults, and must serve at least 18 was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order which limits his access to children. Police said Turner was 20 when he groomed a 14-year-old girl into thinking they were in a this time, he raped her while she was unconscious, sexually and physically assaulted her, strangled the girl with a belt, threatened her with knives, and was verbally second girl was 16 when he lured her to his flat in Rawtenstall to rape took the two young boys to the woods before sexually assaulting them. Mother's heartbreak Some of the victims did not feel able to make impact statements but the mother of one of the girls wrote: "At first I was worried sick, then it went into numbness. It was horrible. I can't put into words how I felt."She felt "powerless and frustrated, feeling that I had not been able to protect her". Her daughter was self-harming and felt suicidal when Turner had "his hold and control over her". The mother added she was relieved at the outcome and that everyone knew "he is an abuser and a predator". She added she was "heartbroken" by what happened to her daughter, but also said that "to finally see her happy again and looking forward to the future is amazing".Lancashire Police Det Sgt Sarah Hargreaves said: "His offending has had a clear and long-lasting impact on his victims."Turner was convicted at Burnley Crown Court of two counts of sexual assault on a child; two counts of sexual activity with a child; four counts of raping an under age girl, one rape of a female over 16, two counts of intentional strangulation, and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
Soldiers hailed as heroes for tackling armed assailant at Georgia Army base
A half-dozen soldiers at a Georgia Army base are being hailed as heroes for tackling an armed assailant accused of shooting five people and then giving aid to their wounded colleagues. Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, is accused of using a personal handgun to shoot five soldiers Wednesday at Fort Stewart, one of the nation's largest Army bases, before he was quickly tackled by other troops, officials said. 'The fast action of these soldiers under stress and under trauma and under fire absolutely saved lives from being lost,' Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said at a news briefing Thursday morning. ' One of the soldiers tackled the person, so just think about this — they were unarmed and ran at and tackled an armed person who they knew was actively shooting their buddies, their colleagues, their fellow soldiers,' Driscoll said. 'Another soldier jumped on top of the person to subdue them until federal law enforcement was able to arrive.' Authorities say Radford opened fire on a part of the base where he worked, but officials would not speculate about a motive. The injured were taken to the hospital and three underwent surgery, officials said. The injured soldiers are stable and expected to recover, said Brig Gen. John Lubas. The soldiers who tackled Radford helped ensure his arrest, said Lubas, who commands the 3rd Infantry Division. This latest act of violence on a U.S. military installation — sites that are supposed to be among the most secure in the country — again raised concerns about safety and security within the armed forces' own walls. There were still many unanswered questions about the shooting. Army records released to The Associated Press show Radford enlisted in January 2018. He worked as a supply sergeant and has not been deployed. Radford faced an Aug. 20 hearing in Hinesville, a small town near the base, on accusations of driving under the influence and running a red light just after 1 a.m. on May 18, according to a citation and court filing. He was given a blood test and freed on a $1,818 bond, the documents said. A telephone number listed for Radford in public records rang unanswered. Attorney Sneh Patel is representing Radford in the traffic case but not the shooting as of Wednesday, he said in an email. He cited attorney-client privilege in declining to comment about any his conversations with Radford. Law enforcement was sent to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team complex shortly before 11 a.m. The suspect was arrested at 11:35 a.m., officials said. A lockdown lasted about an hour. After it was lifted, cars began to move through the normal security checkpoint at the fort's main gate. The Army's 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team was created in 2016 when the service added more than 200 vehicles to an infantry unit of roughly 4,200 soldiers. Also known as the 'Spartan Brigade,' the Army has called the unit its 'most modern land fighting force.' Located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah, Fort Stewart is the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River by land area. It's home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the Army's 3rd Infantry Division and family members. President Donald Trump called the shooter a 'horrible person' in comments to reporters at the White House. The FBI was at the fort to help investigate, said Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Among the deadliest acts of violence on U.S. military bases was a 2009 attack. A U.S. Army psychiatrist killed 13 people in a shooting that left more than 30 wounded at Fort Hood, a military installation in Texas. In 2013, a defense contract worker and former Navy reservist killed 12 people at Washington Navy Yard. He was then killed in a gun battle with police. In 2014, a soldier opened fire on his fellow service members at Fort Hood, killing three people and wounding more than a dozen others before the gunman killed himself. In 2019, an aviation student opened fire in a classroom at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, killing three people and injuring another dozen people including two sheriff's deputies. Just days earlier, a U.S. Navy sailor shot two people to death before killing himself at Pearl Harbor, the Naval station in Hawaii. ___ Martin reported from Atlanta.
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why staff at this zoo are receiving death threats
Tiergarten Nuremberg Zoo in Germany euthanised 12 Guinea baboons on 29 July due to severe overcrowding in their enclosure. The culled baboons were either used for scientific research or fed to carnivores, including lions, at the zoo. Zoo staff have since received death threats and insults, prompting a police investigation into the abuse. The zoo director stated that previous attempts to rehome the animals or use contraception had failed, and the overcrowding led to aggression among the baboons. The decision sparked outrage from animal rights activists, who protested the cull and plan to file a criminal complaint. Zoo staff receive death threats after baboons culled and fed to lions
