Downpatrick Police Arrest 27-Year-Old for Attempted Murder After Stolen Car Seriously Injures Officer
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 31
Downpatrick Police Arrest 27-Year-Old for Attempted Murder After Stolen Car Seriously Injures Officer
9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 31
A PSNI officer suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries after a stolen police car struck him in Downpatrick, and detectives arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder.
At about 04:45 BST, officers pursued a suspect who fled after a vehicle failed to stop; when they returned to their car on Colmcille Road, another man was in the driver's seat and drove directly at the officer.
The officer fired one round before being hit, and the stolen police car, his weapon and ammunition have been seized for forensic examination.
PSNI's Serious Crime branch has opened an attempted murder investigation, while the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is separately examining the firearm discharge under standard procedure.
Police are seeking CCTV, dash-cam and other footage from the area as the case highlights the risks officers face during routine stops.
When a police car becomes a weapon, is it a random crime or part of a calculated global tactic?
As vehicle attacks surge globally, are police facing a new, unpreventable threat on our streets?