Omagh police shooting: Three arrests made over John Caldwell attack

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Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell

Three men have been arrested in connection with the attempted murder of an off-duty police officer in Omagh, County Tyrone, on Wednesday.

Det Ch Insp John Caldwell was hit multiple times by two gunmen after coaching young people at football.

Police said he was with his son, putting balls in the boot of his car, when he was shot at about 20:00 GMT.

He remains in a critical but stable condition at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry.

The men - aged 38, 45 and 47 - were arrested in Omagh and Coalisland, County Tyrone, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Simon Byrne said.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan said the investigation is looking at links to violent dissident republicans, with a focus on the New IRA.

But he said police are keeping an open mind and will continue to work against those with "callous disregard" for the community.

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PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne (left) and Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan at a press conference on Thursday

Political leaders including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar have condemned the shooting.

Northern Ireland party leaders Michelle O'Neill, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Naomi Long, Doug Beattie and Colum Eastwood issued a joint statement calling it a reprehensible attack by "the enemies of our peace".

Children at the Killyclogher Road sports complex ran in "sheer terror" when the shots rang out, ACC McEwan told a press conference.

"John was finishing up coaching an under-15 football team. He was accompanied by his young son," he said.

"Two gunmen appeared, fired multiple shots and John ran a short distance and, as he fell to the ground, gunmen continued to fire shots at him.

ACC McEwan paid tribute to a member of the public who administered first aid to the injured officer.

"At this time there were many other children. Those children ran for cover in sheer terror."

Mr Byrne said PSNI officers were shocked and angered by the brazen attack, and it had sent a "huge shockwave" across the organisation.

Det Ch Insp Caldwell had surgery overnight and remains in critical condition, the chief constable added.

It is understood the 48-year-old is undergoing more surgery on Thursday afternoon.

"Clearly one of the things which defines us is our resilience and our commitment to keep going in dark times and tough times," he said.

"John knows that his colleagues will now be working tirelessly around the clock to support his recovery but also to bring the offenders who have tried to kill him to swift justice."

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A forensics officer at the Omagh sports complex where the shooting took place

Northern Ireland officers work against "a backdrop of substantial threat" and the PSNI will do everything to support them, ACC McEwan added.

Police believe the gunmen made off in a small, dark car, which was found burnt out at Racolpa Road, outside Omagh.

They have since closed several roads in the Omagh area.

An Garda Síochána (Irish police) said it had intensified patrolling in border counties.

The last gun attack on a PSNI officer was in January 2017. The PSNI officer was hit by automatic gunfire at a petrol station in north Belfast.

The officer was shot at least twice in his right arm and it is thought a bulletproof vest may have saved his life.

Fifteen pupils from Omagh High School were at the sports complex at the time of the shooting, Principal Christos Gaitatzis said.

Mr Gaitatzis said two pupils were beside Det Ch Insp Caldwell when he was shot and he was "sickened to the stomach" by the attack.

"Some pupils did not make it to school," he told BBC's Talkback programme.

"It is very difficult as some of the children were next to the son of John and were helping him to get sports equipment out of the car. They saw everything."

The children had been left "numb" and it was very hard for them to comprehend what had happened, he added.

"We know that some will manifest the shock in completely different ways."

It is no surprise to learn the chief suspects in the attack are the New IRA.

After years on the backfoot the organisation re-emerged with a bomb attack on a police patrol in Strabane last November.

The attack on John Caldwell is the most serious incident involving the targeting of an officer for many years.

You probably need to go back to 2011 and the murder of Ronan Kerr for anything comparable.

Last night will be seen not only as an attack on a police officer but an officer who has been directly involved in investigating dissident republicans.

About a year ago, on the advice of MI5, the security threat level was downgraded for the first time in over a decade.

In that context, the shock being felt within the PSNI today will likely be magnified.

It has been widely condemned by politicians and civic leaders, with condemnation coming from leaders across the UK and Ireland.

Alliance leader and former Northern Ireland justice minister Naomi Long said the shooting was "child abuse" of the young people who witnessed it.

Ulster Unionist assembly member Tom Elliott said it was a difficult time for the entire community, and offered his support to the officer and his family, while DUP assembly member Thomas Buchanan told Good Morning Ulster Det Ch Insp Caldwell was highly respected and well liked.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme the shooting was "absolutely diabolical".

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland condemned what it called a "barbaric act of violence".

Church leaders also condemned the attack, with the Catholic and Church of Ireland archbishops of Armagh issuing a joint statement, calling it a "depraved act of violence".

The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said it was an "awful and appalling act", while the president of the Methodist Church in Ireland called it an "act of evil".

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