Senior detective gunned down in front of children at sports centre named as cops say New IRA 'primary focus'

A senior police officer gunned down in front of youths he had been coaching at a sport centre has been named. Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital following the attack on Wednesday evening (February 23).

He had been shot a number of times by masked men while off-duty, in front of youngsters he had been coaching at the Youth Sports Centre in Omagh, Northern Ireland. His young son was with him at the time, police said.

Police say the primary focus of their attempted murder investigation is on 'dissident republicans' - with a particular focus on the New IRA group. Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, told BBC Radio Ulster: “The investigation is at an early stage, we are keeping an open mind.

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"There are multiple strands to that investigation. The primary focus is on violent dissident republicans and within that there is a primary focus as well on New IRA.”

High-ranking officer DCI Caldwell has led a number of major investigations in Northern Ireland. He took a leading role in the murder probe following the killing of Natalie McNally in Lurgan last December.

DCI John Caldwell (PA)

Irish police are working closely in co-operation with their counterparts in Northern Ireland and have intensified patrols amid suspicions the gunmen may have fled across the border. The shooting has been condemned by politicians across the UK and Ireland.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was appalled by the 'disgraceful shooting of an off-duty police officer in Omagh'. Irish premier Leo Varadkar condemned the 'grotesque act of attempted murder'.

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