Police investigating the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh have arrested three men, aged 38, 45 and 47, on suspicion of attempted murder, Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Simon Byrne said.
The arrests were made in Omagh and Coalisland, Co Tyrone.
Mr Byrne said DCI Caldwell had surgery overnight and remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
His young son was with him as he coached young people at a sports centre in Killyclogher Road on Wednesday evening when he was attacked and witnessed the shooting.
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An attempted murder investigation has been launched, with a primary line of inquiry that the dissident republican group the New IRA was responsible.
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Mr Caldwell was a high-profile officer who has led a number of major investigations, including taking a leading role in the murder inquiry following the killing of Natalie McNally in Lurgan in December. He has also been involved in operations against dissident republicans.
On Thursday the leaders of the North’s five largest political parties issued a joint statement saying they “stand united in our outright condemnation” of the attack.
Addressing reporters at a press conference in Belfast on Thursday, Mr Byrne said the police as an organisation was “utterly shocked and angered by last night’s brazen and calculated attack” and they were grateful for the “strength of the condemnation of this awful attack” shown by politicians.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan said the police were “closely consulting with John Caldwell’s family, who are understandably shocked at last night’s shooting.
“John is a highly respected senior investigating officer who dedicates himself to service both in supporting victims and families in bringing others to justice. He is also an active member of the Omagh community,” he said. “Last night at approximately 8pm at the youth sports centre in Killyclogher Road, Omagh, when John was putting footballs into the boot of the car, accompanied by his young son, two gunmen approached and we believe both have fired multiple shots.
“John ran a short distance and fell to the ground when the gunmen continued to fire shots at him,” he said. He was hit a number of times in the torso.
“That shows the absolute callous nature of this attack, and it is utterly disgusting that the gunmen carried out this attempted murder in front of crowds of adults and children.”
The “trauma” inflicted on DCI Caldwell’s young son, he said, “is just horrific and he will never forget seeing his dad shot multiple times. “The gunmen fired from close range in the busy sports training area, which could also quite easily have killed or seriously injured children who were present at the time of the shooting.”
At least two other vehicles were hit by the shots, and ACC McEwan said “those who carried out this attack were completely reckless in their actions and they had absolutely no regard for the officer who was injured or anyone in the crowd.”
The police believe the two gunmen, who were dressed in dark clothing, left the scene on foot and then fled in a “small, dark coloured vehicle shortly after 8pm,” ACC McEwan said. “We believe this vehicle was abandoned and set on fire in Racolpa Road, Omagh.”
He appealed to anyone “who was in the area or who witnessed what happened to get in touch with any information that could help with our investigation.”
He also paid tribute to “a brave member of the public who ran towards John during the attack and administered first aid” and “our partners in the ambulance, if it hadn’t been for their quick actions in getting John to hospital we might have been looking at something very different this morning.”
Gardaí are working closely in co-operation with their counterparts in the PSNI, and have intensified patrols amid suspicions the gunmen may have fled across the Border.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the gun attack targeting was “a very sombre day for all of us involved in policing on this island” adding his “thoughts are with John and his family”.
The Garda was informed on Wednesday night immediately the attack occurred in Omagh and Mr Harris said his management team had moved quickly to put in place a bolstered policing presence along the Border, which was continuing on Thursday.
That increased Garda presence in the region would continue and the force would also be available to the PSNI to aid its investigation, Mr Harris said. He also confirmed the Garda was investigating the shooting.
Mr Harris was speaking at a public meeting of the Policing Authority in Dublin on Thursday and though he made no mention of the suspects for the attack in Omagh, it is widely regarded as the work of dissident Republicans, most likely the so-called New IRA which has members in the Republic.
“In a practical sense, as a policing service which is neighbouring the PSNI, we have provided, and assured, the PSNI of every (resource) in terms of what, operationally, we can do to assist them.
“Last night... we reacted quickly in providing a very strong presence in the Border area and that has carried on throughout the day. And I have personally assured the chief constable of our ongoing support and, indeed, we will keep pace with whatever requests they would make of us, as well as, obviously, conducting our own enquiries.”
Mr Harris knew Mr Caldwell, having worked with him, and was “shocked” that he was targeted, describing the attempt to murder him as “the most awful and grotesque vicious attack”. He described Mr Caldwell as a “very dedicated police officer” who had served the people of Northern Ireland and he would “hope and pray” he recovers.
Policing on the island was a “collective effort” between the Garda and PSNI, Mr Harris said, adding the attack had created “shock” across both forces.
Mr Caldwell was very active in investigations into serious organised crime, including gangland offences committed in the Republic. Last year he gave evidence before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin during the trial of Gerry Hutch (59) for the murder of David Byrne (34) at the Regency Hotel, north Dublin, in 2016.
He told the court he had visited Ballymun Garda station in February 2016 and identified as Northern Irishman Kevin Murray one of the gunmen, wearing a flat cap, photographed running from the hotel on the day as he knew Murray, who lived in Strabane. Mr Caldwell is one of the key officers in the PSNI that Garda members seek assistance from when gangland figures from Dublin have sought to evade capture or investigation by going to the North at times when they have been the subject of intense inquiries by the Garda.
The New IRA was responsible for the killing of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry in 2019. The last time a police officer was shot in Northern Ireland was 2017. In 2011 police constable Ronan Kerr was killed by dissident republicans who placed a bomb under his car outside his home in Omagh.
There has been widespread condemnation of the attack by politicians from across Ireland and Britain.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned this “grotesque act of attempted murder” and said “our thoughts are with the injured officer, his family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time.”
British prime minister Rishi Sunak said he was appalled by the “disgraceful shooting” of an off-duty police officer in Omagh. “My thoughts are with the officer and his family,” he said. “There is no place in our society for those who seek to harm public servants protecting communities.”
In their joint statement issued on Thursday morning, the vice president of Sinn Féin, Michelle O’Neill and the DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance leader Naomi Long, Doug Beattie, the head of the Ulster Unionists, and the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood condemned the attack on DCI Caldwell and extended their “heartfelt solidarity” to him and his family.
“Our thoughts are with John and his family and we wish him a full recovery,” they said. “We stand united in our outright condemnation of this attack after he was shot in Omagh, Co Tyrone yesterday evening in front of his son and other children and young people at a sports facility.
“We speak for the overwhelming majority of people right across our community who are outraged and sickened by this reprehensible and callous attempted murder.
“The community of Omagh has endured profound suffering, loss, and pain in the past which has left a deep trauma, and so this act of violence has left people there rightly angered.
“There is absolutely no tolerance for such attacks by the enemies of our peace. Those responsible must be brought to justice. This will require the full co-operation of the public whom we call upon to assist police in this attempted murder investigation.
“Together we stand with John’s family and his colleagues in the police service at this time,” they said.
On Thursday morning, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he wanted to condemn the “appalling attack and attempted murder”.
It was “depraved and shocking,” he said, calling on anyone with information to bring it to the PSNI.
It occurred in the context of a number of attempted attacks on the police in recent months, he said. He said it was especially damaging for children to have witnessed the attack, and that it occurring in front of DCI Caldwell’s son was a “new low”. “For them to witness such a horrific act is in itself very traumatic, and also that the attempted murder happened in front of his son represents a new low in such criminal activity”.
He expressed support for the PSNI, saying it was an “attack on policing in general on this island”. Cooperation between the Garda and the PSNI is a “constant” and would receive the “highest level” in the context of the attack.
“There can be no toleration for acts of this kind, and I know people across this island will be absolutely appalled at the nature of the attack on this man who did a lot and continues to do a lot for his community.”
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald strongly condemned the attack, saying there was “no excuse” and “no political rationale” for the shooting.
“It is unacceptable and whatever the motive I want to see the police authorities working jointly and strenuously,” she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme.
She said there was “shock, anger and a sense of determination” following the attack which she described as “absolutely diabolical”.
“We are not going back to the bad old days, the only way for every community in Ireland is forward,” she said, calling for an “all-Ireland response” and co-ordination between the PSNI and Gardaí.
She said she did not know if there was dissident republican involvement but called on anyone with information to bring it to the authorities. “There can be no hiding place for this, there can be no sympathy for this, there is no rhyme or reason politically speaking for a vicious act of thuggery like this,” she said.
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the gun attack was a throwback to a time when “evil people” were intent on trouble.
“Everybody everywhere on the island of Ireland was shocked to hear of the callous and horrendous attempt to murder Detective Inspector John Caldwell,” he said.
“Thankfully these are events we do not see too much any more. It was a throwback to the past when evil people were intent on causing trouble,” he said.
“It was a (terrible thing) for them to go to a sports venue and trying to kill a decent guy who is off duty, a guy who was helping kids in their sporting endeavours. We wish him well in his recovery.”
Labour leader Ivana Bacik condemned the attack, saying it was “an appalling act of brutality.
“This outrageous attack on a PSNI officer, the first such assault in six years, should provide an impetus to all parties to resolve the impasse on the protocol and restore the functioning of democratic institutions in Northern Ireland because we know that unfortunately violence is more likely to develop in a political vacuum.”
