Police officer shot in Northern Ireland after attack in sports complex

Off-duty officer reportedly shot in front of young people at football coaching session

A police officer has been shot in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

The man was attacked at a sports complex on the Killyclogher Road in Omagh, police said.

It is understood he was not on duty when he was attacked.

It’s believed the police officer attacked in Omagh was shot in front of young people at a football coaching session.

“Despicable, cowardly action. No place in society for this,” Ulster Unionist Party MLA Tom Elliott tweeted.

The PSNI said officers were currently at the scene of the shooting.

“One man, a serving police officer, has been taken to hospital for treatment after being injured in a shooting incident at a sports complex just before 8pm this evening,” they said.

The officer was taken to hospital in Londonderry for treatment.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said it received a 999 call at 8.02pm following reports of an incident in the Slievard area of Killyclogher.

“NIAS dispatched a Rapid Response Paramedician Emergency Crew and an ambulance officer to the incident,” a spokesperson said.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, one patient was taken by ambulance to Altnagelvin Area Hospital.”

Omagh was where the deadliest single bombing in the history of the conflict in Northern Ireland took place, in 1998. A car bomb exploded, killing 29 people and injuring more than 200 others.

It was carried out just four months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, designed to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

Michelle O’Neill, vice-president of Sinn Fein, condemned the shooting, saying: “Terrible news this evening of an off-duty police officer being shot in Kilyclogher, Omagh.

“This is an outrageous and shameful attack. My immediate thoughts are with the officer and his family.

“I unreservedly condemn this reprehensible attempt to murder a police officer.”

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson also condemned the attack.

“Terrible news from Omagh tonight,” he tweeted.

“Our heart goes out to the family of this courageous police officer and to his colleagues. We condemn outright the cowards responsible for this. These terrorists have nothing to offer and they must be brought to justice. We stand with the PSNI.”