Police officer injured in Belfast shooting

A police officer has reportedly been injured in a shooting in north Belfast tonight.
PACEMAKER BELFAST  22/01/2017
Scene of a shooting this evening at a filling station on the Crumlin Road in North west Belfast.
First reports say that a PSNi officer has been shot
Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker PressPACEMAKER BELFAST  22/01/2017
Scene of a shooting this evening at a filling station on the Crumlin Road in North west Belfast.
First reports say that a PSNi officer has been shot
Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 22/01/2017 Scene of a shooting this evening at a filling station on the Crumlin Road in North west Belfast. First reports say that a PSNi officer has been shot Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

The suspected attack happened near a filling station on the Crumlin Road. It is believed the officer was shot once in the arm.

A number of shots may have been fired from a car.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) tweeted: “Officer shot and wounded at petrol station around 7.30pm.”

The road has been closed while police investigate.

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A Police Federation statement said: “There are reports that one of our officers has been injured in a terrorist shooting in Belfast.

“Thoughts are with him and his family.”

DUP MP Nigel Dodds said it was a despicable act.

It is understood the officer was shot in the arm in a suspected drive-by attack.

Mr Dodds said: “This is a deeply disturbing incident which echoes back to the kind of terrorism we used to face on a daily basis.

“My thoughts are with the officer who has been injured and I pray that the injuries sustained are not life-threatening and they can make a full recovery.

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“These are scenes that we should all want to move away from in Northern Ireland. We must be mindful how a threat to the future of the political institutions can create a vacuum, which terrorists such as these will seek to fill.

“We must all stand against those who wish to use threats, intimidation and violence to further their political ends.

“It is vital we all stand against such activity and work to move Northern Ireland forward.”

Nationalist SDLP assembly member Nichola Mallon said those responsible were calculating criminals, intent on destabilising a community which continues to make strides toward reconciliation, who will be rejected by local people.

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She said: “Those responsible for this attack, not only on the individual involved, but on the progress that north Belfast has made must be brought to justice.

“This community has rejected the men of violence before and it will do so again. There will be no cover given to those who seek to destabilise our progress and bring mayhem back to our streets.”