Attempted murder of police officer in Londonderry
08 Nov 2007
A 43 years old off-duty police officer was injured following a shooting incident in Bishop Street in Derry at around 8.30am on Thursday 8 November.
Chief Superintendent Ricky Russell said: “It isunderstood this officer sustained injuries to his face and arm but was able to drive to Strand Road police station following the incident. Whilst the injuries are not believed to be life threatening at this time, this remains a very serious incident and is being treated as attempted murder.”
Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton commented: “This man joined the police to serve the community. He joined the police to make Northern Ireland safer for everyone. His job is about protecting communities, preventing crime, and making this a better place for everyone to live and work in.
“In contrast, those who carried out this despicable act have absolutely nothing to offer communities and only seek to cause suffering and destruction. These people are the lowest of the low. They attempted to murder a man as he went about his business here in the city this morning.
“Make no mistake, the Police Service has no intention of letting the actions of these desperate and despicable individuals detract from the good work carried out by police right across the province. This cowardly attack will not deter us from delivering a professional policing service to the people of Northern Ireland. Our commitment to delivering this service to all will not be shaken by those who continue to pursue a path of violence.
“It is clear that huge strides have been made by the police service in policing with the community to prevent and detect crime. That commitment from police will continue. The vast majority of people support policing here and are working with police. The community must send a very clear message that those who seek to wreck progress and destroy lives have no place in society.
“I visited the injured officer’s family today. He has sustained injuries to his face and arm, but he is in a comfortable condition in hospital. He is a dedicated officer who joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland to make a real difference to people’s lives and hopefully he will be able to continue that work. "
Police are investigating a car that was found 'burnt out' in the High Park area of the Creggan at around 9.15am and are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed this to contact them as they may have information that could assist detectives.
Police cannot yet confirm if this was the vehicle used in shooting incident.
Anyone who was in the Bishop Street area between 8am and 8.45am and who witnessed the incident is asked to contact police. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact detectives at Strand Road Station on 0845 600 8000.
