Newtownbutler wedding shooting: Man dies following incident in County Fermanagh

A councillor said the "shocking" incident has "stunned" the rural community

St Mary's Catholic church in the rural border village of Newtownbutler in Co Fermanagh (Google Maps )

A man has died and another has been injured following a shooting at a wedding in Northern Ireland, police have said.

The incident occurred at around 1pm in the yard of St Mary’s Catholic Church, which is adjacent to a primary school, in the rural village of Newtonbutler near the Irish border.

A man in his 60s was flown to hospital in a police helicopter, but he later died from his injuries.

The other victim, in his 30s, did not suffer life-threatening injuries, Police Service of Northern Ireland Detective Chief Inspector Michael Harvey said.

It is understood that the wedding was being attended by members of the traveller community. The events leading up to the shooting remain unclear.

Thomas O’Reilly, a councillor for the County Fermanagh village whose officer overlooks the churchyard, said the community was stunned by the “shocking” incident.

“In a very small rural area and village such as Newtownbutler, it is shocking that something like this would happen,” said Sinn Fein representative Mr O'Reilly.

Assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tom Elliott condemned what he called a "horrific" attack.

“It is horrific that a gun attack should take place anywhere, but when it happens in the grounds of a church and at a wedding it is even more sinister,” he said.

The Ulster Unionist added:"It is very worrying that certain people have access to firearms and are willing to use them for any reason.

"There is a significant onus on police to ensure that these criminals are caught and that the courts ensure they are locked up for a long period."

Additional reporting by PA