Outrage after officer stabbed on 999 call-out
PACEMAKER BELFAST Kilwilkie estate in Lurgan. police officer has been stabbed while responding to an emergency call. The officer suffered injuries to his head and a 41-year-old-man has been arrested for attempted murder. The police officer was responding to a report about a domestic incident when he was slashed with a knife. He suffered serious injuries to the back of his head and is being treated in hospital where his condition is described as stable. It is believed the man had locked himself into a house with two young children and when the police tried to get inside, the man opened the front door, and slashed the officer with a knife. Meanwhile other police officers at the scene came under attack from petrol bombs and bricks.Photo Kirth Ferris/Pacemaker Press
OUTRAGE was voiced yesterday after it emerged a police officer was left seriously injured after being attacked with a knife in Lurgan.
The male officer was slashed with a knife on the back of his head and also his face as he went to the aid of a colleague dealing with a call-out in the Kilwilkie area of the town in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The two officers had been responding to a report of a man locked inside a house with two small children.
As the officers attempted to gain access to the house, the man inside attacked the first officer, before the second officer intervened and was slashed.
The injured officer was taken to hospital for treatment where his condition has been described as stable.
A 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and was last night in police custody.
The two children present in the house, aged one and three, were uninjured.
Later, officers who attended the house following the stabbing came under attack from a crowd who hurled six petrol bombs as well as bricks and bottles at them.
Calm was restored to the area at around 4am on Sunday.
PSNI superintendent Jason Murphy said he has nothing but praise for the officers who he described as “brave”.
“Their main priority was to ensure the safety of all those involved, particularly the two young children in the house,” he said.
“They did this with no thought for their own safety and with self-restraint and professionalism.
“It was more than disappointing to see those officers come under attack and the actions of those who threw petrol bombs and bricks can only be condemned.”
Policing Board chair, Brian Rea, also commended the bravery officers’ displayed in keeping communities safe.
“In protecting the public from harm police officers frequently put themselves at serious risk,” he said.
“On behalf of all Board Members I wish the officer a full and speedy recovery.
“Disturbingly, other officers who remained in the area after the incident occurred were attacked with petrol bombs, bricks and bottles.
“This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and I strongly condemn those who took part in this violence.”
Ulster Unionist MLA for the area, Jo-Anne Dobson, slammed both the stabbing as well as the further attacks on officers, and Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson also expressed disgust at the attacks.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
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