THE PSNI has launched an attempted murder investigation after senior officer Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell was shot multiple times in Omagh, Co. Tryone.
The officer was off-duty at the time of the attack, which took place at around 8pm at a sports complex in the Killyclogher Road area last night.
Det Chf Caldwell is reported to have been coaching a local youth sports team just prior to the attack.
In an update this morning, the PSNI confirmed: “Detectives from our Major Investigation Team have launched an attempted murder investigation following an attack on a police officer in Omagh on Wednesday evening, February 22.”
They added that Mr Caldwell remains in hospital where he is “in a critical but stable condition."
Politicians across Britain and Ireland have condemned the attack, with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stating: “I am appalled by the disgraceful shooting of an off-duty police officer in Omagh tonight.
“My thoughts are with the officer and his family. There is no place in our society for those who seek to harm public servants protecting communities.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar called the attack a “grotesque act”.
“I am appalled by the disgraceful shooting of an off-duty police officer in Omagh,” he said in a statement.
“My thoughts are with the officer and his family.”
He added: “There is no place in our society for those who seek to harm public servants protecting communities.
“I utterly condemn this grotesque act of attempted murder. I call on anyone with information about it to share it with the PSNI."
