An off-duty Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective was shot by dissident republicans in April 2021 and has now been discharged from the hospital after two months of treatment. The shooting incident occurred in the residential area of Ballymena, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland, where the detective was targeted by dissident republicans in a drive-by shooting. The attack was another reminder of the threat posed by dissidents against the police in Northern Ireland. This article will discuss the circumstances surrounding the shooting, the detective’s recovery process, and the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Det Chief Inspector John Caldwell has been discharged from the hospital two months after being shot by dissident republicans in Omagh. The 48-year-old off-duty police officer was shot in front of his son multiple times outside a sports complex as he put footballs into the boot of his car. The attack caused life-changing injuries to the senior police officer and he was transferred to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry for treatment. The shooting affected many teenagers who witnessed the attack while Caldwell was coaching the Under-15 Beragh Swifts soccer team at the Omagh Youth Sport complex.
DCI Caldwell was a high-profile police officer who had been a member of the PSNI for 26 years. He worked on a number of murder investigations, including the killing of Co Armagh woman Natalie McNally in December and the murder of PSNI constable Ronan Kerr by dissident republicans in Omagh in 2011. The New IRA remains the main line of inquiry in the PSNI investigation, and to date, 15 people have been detained, but no charges have been brought.
The shooting was widely condemned by politicians from different factions who united in a show of solidarity during a period of Stormont dissolution. In the days following the attack, PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne confirmed that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris had given “complete assurance” to assist in the investigation. Garda patrols were stepped up along the border to help the PSNI probe. Over 1,000 people also took part in a rally and walk in Omagh to show support for Mr Caldwell, who was well known for his cross-community work through sport.
It emerged on Wednesday that UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, visited Caldwell in the hospital last week. While speaking at a dinner marking the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement at Hillsborough Castle, Sunak revealed that Caldwell had told him that Northern Ireland cannot return to its violent past.
Caldwell has suffered traumatic injuries, and he requires privacy and time to recover. The PSNI confirmed in a statement that Caldwell had been released from the hospital and will continue his recovery at home. Police have said that they are working diligently to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
DCI John Caldwell’s shooting highlights the danger that police officers and their families face daily. The death of PC David Phillips, who was knocked down and killed by a stolen car in Liverpool in 2015, is a testament to the dangers of the job. The shooting of DCI John Caldwell shows the challenges police officers face, and that they need support from the government, their fellow officers and the public, to do their job safely.
