A woman in her 40s and two children have been killed in a shooting at a house in County Fermanagh, with police investigating a line of inquiry involving triple murder and attempted suicide. The victims, a mother, her son and daughter, were all members of the same household in the quiet rural community of Maguiresbridge.
Police confirmed that two victims were pronounced dead at the scene on Drummeer Road on Wednesday morning, whilst a third child died later at South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen. A fourth person, an adult male from the same household, remains in a serious condition at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after being airlifted from the scene.
Superintendent Robert McGowan told a press conference in Enniskillen that all four people had suffered gunshot wounds and confirmed the PSNI had launched a murder investigation. He revealed that police received an emergency call at 07:50 BST, with the alarm believed to have been raised via a phone call made from within the house.
“Officers, along with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, attended a house in the Drummeer Road area,” Supt McGowan said. “This is a quiet rural location and I’m aware that this tragic event will have sent shockwaves of sadness throughout the community.”
The senior officer described it as a “harrowing scene” for emergency responders and confirmed that whilst no arrests had been made, none were anticipated “at this stage.” He added that one line of inquiry being pursued was that of a triple murder and attempted suicide, though the investigation remained at an early stage.
Supt McGowan told reporters that the suspect had a “limited footprint” with police and there was “limited domestic history” involving the people concerned. He expressed his sympathies to family members and loved ones “who are today left in total shock and who will struggle to come to terms with their unimaginable loss.”
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service confirmed they received a 999 call at 08:21 BST and dispatched three emergency ambulances, one rapid response paramedic, two ambulance officers, an ambulance doctor and the Charity Air Ambulance to the scene. Following assessment and initial treatment, one patient was airlifted to Belfast whilst another was transported by road ambulance to the local hospital.
The tragedy has devastated the close-knit rural community of Maguiresbridge, a village of fewer than 1,000 residents in western County Fermanagh. The Drummeer Road remained closed throughout Wednesday as forensic teams worked at the scene, with a large police presence expected to remain in the area.
Local resident Ken Hutchinson described the news as “a shock for the whole community,” adding: “Maguiresbridge is a community where everyone mixes well and this is a complete contrast to the normal goings on in this place. It’s a terrible shock. It’s a tragedy and unbelievable that children have been killed.”
Margaret Erwin, another local resident, said it was “heartbreaking to hear,” adding: “No matter where it happens, but to be on your doorstep, is particularly sad. To be aware of the friends of other friends of the children involved, it just brings it closer to home and makes it more real for us. You’re not out of the woods in a rural area.”
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill said she was “absolutely heartbroken by the news from Maguiresbridge,” adding: “My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the local community. I have no doubt that the people of Maguiresbridge will come together and support one another through this incredibly difficult time.”
Democratic Unionist Party assembly member Deborah Erskine, who represents Fermanagh and South Tyrone, urged people not to speculate about the incident whilst police carried out their work. “This is truly shocking and has stunned the entire community,” she said. “The area of Maguiresbridge where this has happened is a rural, quiet area and everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning.”
Ms Erskine described the incident as “unimaginable,” noting: “Things like this are very rare, they don’t happen in this part of the world, it is a close knit community. This has caused widespread shock, not just in Maguiresbridge, but right across Fermanagh.”
Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen expressed similar sentiments, saying: “I am thinking of their families and those wee children’s school friends and how it must feel in a close knit community like this. The community is heartbroken, as we are, and totally shocked at the news as any community would be.
Ms Cullen also paid tribute to the emergency responders who attended the scene: “They’re all human beings as well, it’s unimaginable how much this will impact on them.”
Former DUP leader and ex-First Minister Arlene Foster, who is from nearby Brookeborough, described the news as “just absolutely devastating,” calling Maguiresbridge “a very sleepy little village in Fermanagh.” She revealed she knew wider family members linked to the situation, sending her “deepest condolences, love and support to them at this time.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said her “thoughts and sympathies are with those affected” following the “horrific incident” and asked people not to “speculate, online or elsewhere, as to the details surrounding it while it is being investigated.”
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn described the news as “tragic and deeply distressing,” adding: “My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”
The tragedy marks one of the worst incidents of its kind in Northern Ireland in recent years and has prompted an outpouring of grief and support for the rural community. Police have assured the public there is no ongoing risk and continue to work at pace to establish the full circumstances of what they described as an isolated incident.
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