Gunman who shot cop aimed at victim's terrified son in attack linked to New IRA
One of the gunmen who shot a defenceless police officer also turned his weapon towards the victim’s terrified young son.
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, on Wednesday.
The officer, described as “loved” by the town, is critically ill and heavily sedated in hospital.
Sources today revealed one of his attackers had also pointed his weapon towards Mr Caldwell’s 12-year-old son.
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The youngster was standing beside his dad, who was putting footballs in his car boot when the would-be assassins approached and opened fire.
Mr Caldwell was hit at least four times and suffered life changing injuries in the attack (PA)
The dad was putting footballs in his car boot at the time of the shooting (PA)As he was hit, the detective shouted at his boy and his young team mates to run away.
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.
Community and church leaders have condemned the shooting of the popular policeman.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris during a meeting on Thursday (PA)His colleagues earlier today arrested a fourth man, aged 22, in connection with the attempted murder. Three men aged 38, 45 and 47 were detained on Thursday.
And police confirmed on Friday evening that they had made a fifth arrest in connection with the attempted murder. The 43-year-old man had been arrested in the Stewartstown area.
All five suspects are being questioned by detectives in Belfast where Simon Byrne, the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, met with political leaders today.
He said he had spoken to Mr Caldwell’s wife and son and added: "They’re clearly heavily affected by what they’ve gone through but want to pass on their thanks both to people that rendered first aid and care at the scene, but also in terms of the outpouring of support across the community in relation to this awful outrage."
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Sinn Fein’s deputy leader Michelle O’Neill said; “We do stand here united as one voice in our condemnation against this horrific attack on a police officer, someone who is part of our community."
Police and forensics at the scene in Omagh (Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: “I would also say to the evil people who carried out this heinous attack and to their organisation - you are not the future of this place. We stand against you."
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.
Away from work he is a coach with Beragh Swifts Football Club.
Ricky Lyons from the club said: “He gives up his time freely, coaching kids, helping out, he was helping with teams, sorting out kits, running after water bottles, all the things.
“John’s just a good man and we’re shocked, we’re saddened that this tragedy arrived on our door.”
A police cordon outside the sports complex on Thursday (Getty Images)Christos Gaitatzis, principal of Omagh High School where Mr Caldwell was educated, said: “John is a past pupil, a very loved person in the community of Omagh as a whole because he is a coach for all the kids in the community at the football club, but as a past pupil of our school, if someone is targeting him, therefore they have targeted our school as well.”
The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick, described the shooting as an “outrage” and an “awful and appalling act.”
Police say 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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