Seven men charged with attempted murder in the shooting Omagh police officer
Police investigating an attack on a senior cop have charged seven men with attempted murder.
Det Chief Insp John Caldwell was ambushed by two masked men as he finished coaching an under-15 football team.
He was hit at least four times and suffered life changing injuries in the attack in Omagh, Northern Ireland, in February.
His 12-year-old son was standing beside his dad, who was putting footballs in his car boot when the would-be assassins approached and opened fire.
A statement released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: "Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland Major Investigations Team investigating the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell have, this evening, Saturday 27th May, charged seven men to court.
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"Two men aged 28, and five men aged 33, 38, 45, 47 and 72, have been charged with attempted murder. Two of the men, aged 38 and 45, have been charged with a prescribed membership of an organisation, namely the IRA.
Forensic officers from Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) at the sports complex in the Killyclogher Road area of Omagh (PA)"Three of the men, aged 28, 33 and 47, have also been charged with preparation of terrorist acts.
"All seven men are expected to appear before Dungannon Magistrates Court via video link on Monday 29th May.
"As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service."
As he was hit, Mr Caldwell shouted at his boy and his young team mates to run away.
Seven men have been charged (PA)Children cowered behind bushes as the hit-men chased Mr Caldwell, who was shot again as he attempted to flee.
The thugs escaped in a car, which they later torched, as a number of people raced to help the stricken officer at the Youth Sport centre on the outskirts of the town.
Four members of the Omagh Harriers Athletic Club, including a GP, gave him first aid before an ambulance arrived.
Mr Caldwell, 48, from Beragh, Co. Tyrone, has been a policeman for 26 years and has investigated high-profile cases such as the murder of Lyra McKee in 2019 and the deadly car bomb which killed PSNI officer Ronan Kerr in 2011.
The attack took place after a children's football training session (SM-IR Irish Pictures <[email protected]>)Away from work he is a coach with Beragh Swifts Football Club.
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Police previously said the “primary focus” of their investigation is the dissident republican group the New IRA.
It has been blamed for the killing of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry in 2019.
And last November, the group was believed to be behind the attempted murder of two police officers in a bomb attack in Strabane, Co Tyrone.
Omagh was the scene of a Real IRA attack in 1998, which killed 29 people.
It was also where Constable Ronan Kerr was murdered in April 2011.
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