A 71-year-old man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act, becoming the sixth person to be held in relation to the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, who was shot four times on Wednesday night while coaching a junior football team in Northern Ireland.
Caldwell, who was off-duty at the time, remains in critical condition, and the police are investigating the case as attempted murder, linking it to the dissident republican group, the New IRA.
The latest arrest comes after police had earlier been granted extra time to question the first four suspects, aged 22, 38, 45, and 47, until Tuesday, February 28.
A fifth man, aged 43, who was arrested on Friday, also remains in custody, while members of the public with any information about the case are urged to come forward.
Following the shooting, hundreds of people have taken to the streets to demand an end to the violence in the area. The local community has rallied behind Caldwell and his family, calling for an end to the violence on the streets of Omagh.
Over the weekend, protesters gathered in the main street of Omagh, organised by trade unions, holding posters with the slogan “No going back.” Anton McCabe, secretary of Omagh Trade Union Council, emphasised that the rally was organised with respect in mind, given Caldwell’s critical condition and the trauma experienced by his son.
He said, “We are here today to say no going back – no going back to violence, fear, and injustices.” Patricia McKeown of Unison highlighted that peace in Northern Ireland was achieved after a massacre on the people of Omagh in 1998, but the resolve of the people remains unbroken, despite the recent attack. Meanwhile, Padraig Mulholland of Nipsa called for a better future for all, stressing that the people of Omagh want positive change.
Mr McCabe gave the final address, saying, “Those who shot John Caldwell on Wednesday were in serious danger of lighting a fire that could burn us all, and let us be clear, the people of Omagh today have said no – no going back.
We are standing not just in horror at what was done to John Caldwell, but standing here saying, ‘Let us build a better society, of justice, peace, and equality’.” A minute’s silence was observed, paying respect to the high-profile police officer who has led many major investigations.
Caldwell, who was hit four times as he loaded footballs into his car, cried out, “I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot,” before collapsing on a running track, with his son narrowly avoiding being hit.
The shooting took place near the site of a 1998 dissident republican bomb, which killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. In solidarity with Caldwell and his family, hundreds of people gathered earlier in Beragh, around eight miles from Omagh, for a walk of solidarity from the Beragh Swifts ground.
The club chairman, Richard Lyons, emphasised that Caldwell worked tirelessly for the club, and that the support from the community was helping all those affected by the shooting.
»Pensioner becomes 6th person arrested for shooting of off-duty senior police officer John Caldwell«
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