Toddler shot in Belfast

Sparks

Splitting this off from the Prime Time thread for clarity.

(on the topic of addressing gun crime...) And whatever we're going to do, we need to start doing it now. First Glasgow, then a copycat in Edinburgh and now Belfast.

From IOL:

Toddler critical after NI school shooting
23/04/2005 - 09:44:08

A five-year-old boy remains in a critical condition in a Belfast hospital after apparently being shot with an air-rifle.

It is understood the incident happened at a primary school in Enniskillen, in Co Fermanagh. The child is suffering from head injuries.

Sinn Féin Councillor Pat Cox says locals are finding the news difficult to take in. “People are shocked beyond belief. It’s something you read about happening in America and these places, but when it comes to your own doorstep it’s a different story,” he said.

Sparks

Sparks wrote:

And whatever we're going to do, we need to start doing it now. First Glasgow, then a copycat in Edinburgh and now Belfast.

It now seems this wasn't a copycat like in Edinburgh, but a repeat of what happened in Boyle last year, only more serious:

From UTV:

Shot schoolboy's parents keep bedside vigil
The parents of a five-year-old boy shot in the head in a school playground were still keeping a bedside vigil last night as he fought for life.
Darragh Summers remained in a critical condition in hospital, with his mother and father Gerald and Janine at his side.
A spokeswoman for the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, said there had been no change in his condition.
The little boy was hit in the head on Friday by what police said may have been a bullet from a rifle.
They believe it may have been stray shot from a hunter`s gun which hit the boy in the packed playground of St Patrick`s Primary School at Mullinaskea, a small village three miles from Enniskillen.
Darragh is in his first year at the Catholic school and lives on a housing estate in Drumbeg, just outside Enniskillen, with his parents.
Mr and Mrs Summers are so distraught that they have asked for privacy to be with him.
Police have appealed for anyone who lives in the area and owns a rifle - or anyone who was shooting in the area at the time of the incident - to contact police to have their weapon eliminated from inquiries.
Detectives also issued an appeal for information about two vehicles seen near the school.
The said they wanted to speak to the occupants of a people carrier, or anyone who saw it, near the school at around the time of the shooting incident.
They also want to talk to the occupants of a silver Ford Mondeo seen in the area on Wednesday lunchtime, said a police spokesman.
Officers today continued door-to-door inquiries at houses around the school and were preparing to speak to many of the 180 children in the playground at the time of the shooting.
Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle, who is in charge of the inquiry, said his team wanted to speak to anyone who may have heard shooting near the school on Friday.
He said police were keen to "build up a picture of any shooting that may have taken place in the area over the past few weeks".
Mr Kyle said police had now veered towards the feeling the shooting was an accident.
"We wouldn`t like to think there`s anyone out there who is deliberately targeting five-year-old boys."

From News Letter:

Stray Shot From Rifle May Have Hit Boy, 5
Police now believe the five-year-old boy left fighting for his life in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital was shot by a rifle.
Darragh Somers was playing a game of "tig" with his friends in playground at Mullinaskea Primary School outside Enniskillen on Friday when he was struck in the head by a bullet.
Prayers were said yesterday at church services for the youngster shot on Friday.
He remains in a critical condition.
Police are set to quiz pupils and parents about the day's events in the hope that some fresh information may come to light.
They have also appealed for the owners or occupants of two vehicles seen near the school at the time of the shooting to contact them. "The description we have is of a people-carrier type vehicle and a silver Ford Mondeo," Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle said. "We would like to hear from anyone who has any information regarding either or both of these vehicles."
He added that anyone who heard shooting near Mullinaskea Primary School between 1pm and 3pm on Friday, or may have seen anyone going out to shoot for sport or vermin in the vicinity should also come forward.
Darragh's grandmother, Maureen Hallett, 64, was waiting by the phone in her Enniskillen home yesterday for news of her grandson. "The phone has not stopped ringing. We have been inundated with calls from people sending messages of support and to say they are praying for Darragh."
Darragh underwent five hours of surgery at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital on Friday evening.
He went back into the operating theatre on Saturday.
Parents Janine, 32, and Gerald Somers, 40, have kept a bedside vigil at the intensive care unit.
The child's grandmother stayed with the family at the RVH on Friday to offer support, along with school principal Bernie O'Connor.
Mrs Hallett was with her daughter when they heard there had been an incident.
"We just thought it had been a playground accident. We just could not believe it when we got to the Erne Hospital and there were police everywhere, we just couldn't take it all in."

And from IOL:

PSNI seizes rifles in child shooting investigation
Police in the North have seized a number of legally-held rifles in an attempt to identify the person who may have shot a five-year-old boy in the head last Friday.
The boy remains critically ill in hospital after being struck by a bullet from a .22 rifle while he was playing at a school in Mullinaskea, Co Fermanagh.
He is believed to have been hit by a stray bullet fired by someone shooting in nearby fields.
Up to 10 firearms have been seized from people living in the vicinity of St Patrick's primary school in an effort to trace the person who fired the shot.

Sparks

More details on the belfast shooting, it does look now like a repeat of what happened in Boyle:

Suspect Gunman Theory Ruled Out
By Anne Palmer
Thursday 28th April 2005
POLICE have denied they have a suspect in mind in connection with the shooting of five-yearold schoolboy Darragh Somers.
Detectives have also rejected local reports that a gun was found in the vicinity of Mullanaskea school, near Enniskillen.
"If we had a suspect in mind, we would be doing something about it," said a police spokesman.
Police said yesterday they were in posession of another 14 guns, taking the total of firearms under examination to around 30.
They denied they had the weapon that fired the shot. Detectives have again appealed for anyone who was using a gun in the area on Friday to come forward voluntarily and make contact with them.
Police are continuing to consult firearms dealers and are looking at a report that shots were fired at a dog believed to be worrying sheep close to the school.
They are also keen to eliminate a blue Toyota jeep seen near the school at around
12:30pm on Friday.
Meanwhile, Darragh remains in a "critical but stable" condition at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
He fell to the ground in Mullanaskea Primary School last Friday after being struck by a bullet from a .22 rifle.
Last night, his grandmother Maureen Hallett, 64, again appealed to anyone who was shooting close to the school on Friday to come forward.
"If someone is living in fear, I hope they find the strength to come forward," she said.
"We undersand it must be horrific for them, when they realised they may have hit the child."
Neighbours and friends of the Somers and Hallet families attended an open-air mass on Tuesday evening outside the Somers' family home in Drumbeg.
Residents from both sides of the community were at the service, led by the Rev Noel Mc-Gahan.
Darragh's parents, Janine and Gerald, are still by his hospital bedside, praying for the day when he will wake up and end the nightmare that has haunted them since Friday.

Sparks

More details today and happily it seems that the child will survive:

Youngster Shot In Head 'Improving'
By Anne Palmer
Saturday 30th April 2005
Little Darragh Somers who was shot in the head last week at his school playground was last night showing signs of improvement.
The five-year-old, who was hit while playing in the playground at St Patrick's Primary School at Mullanaskea, Co Fermanagh, underwent surgery to remove a bullet from his head last weekend.
Darragh was awake for a time yesterday and was responding to his mother, a PSNI spokesman said.
He said that, while Darragh's condition had improved slightly, he still remained "very ill" at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Darragh's parents, Janine and Gerald, have maintained a constant vigil at his bedside since last Friday.
Despite police appeals, one week after the shooting there have been no arrests and no significant developments to lead officers to the person who fired the shot.
They are still appealing for anyone who knows anything about the incident to come forward.
Police say they are in possession of the bullet, which was fired from a .22 rifle, and was recovered during surgery, and are examining it to identify the weapon used.
Detectives are also examining 45 legallyheld firearms, some of which have been seized and others voluntarily handed in.
They are continuing to appeal for information about a dark-blue Toyota jeep seen driving inside the school gates last Friday at around 12.30pm.
Police are also appealing for information about a red pick-up vehicle with a dead calf in the back parked near the school.
They are seeking information about a dark maroon van parked opposite the Silver Swallow on Enniskillen's Sligo Road last Saturday around 8pm, as someone was seen shooting from the back of it.
A teenage male was seen in the vicinity of the van.
Police are urging the occupants, or anyone with any knowledge of these vehicles, to come forward to the incident room as soon as possible, as they may have information which could assist the investigation.

Sparks

Some more good news on this from the last day or two.

From IOL:

Playground shooting boy 'looking forward to TV'
04/05/2005 - 10:49:18

A five-year-old boy shot in the head in a school playground is now singing and looking forward to watching television, it emerged today.
Doctors in Northern Ireland treating Darragh Somers have been astonished by his recovery.

He was critically ill on a life-support machine for days after being hit by a stray rifle bullet nearly a fortnight ago.

But the Co Fermanagh youngster has now been moved into an ordinary ward at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, where his parents have kept a bedside vigil.

Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle, who is heading the investigation, said Darragh’s progress may help police identify the hunter believed to have fired the shot.

He said: “He’s made an amazing recovery. Doctors can’t believe the progress he has made in the last couple of days.

“Darragh is conscious, able to sip water, and is asking what is going on in his favourite TV programmes. He has even been able to sing a few songs.

“With this good news, we hope that the person who fired the shot will realise that the situation is not as bleak as once feared, and we hope that person will now come forward, either directly to police, or via a third party.”

Darragh was shot as he played at St Patrick’s Primary School, near Enniskillen, on April 22.

It is thought he was hit by a stray bullet from a .22 rifle fired by someone shooting vermin nearby.

Detectives have seized 51 rifles so far with more to be collected, Mr Kyle disclosed.

“Another part of our investigation involves inquiries with gun dealers, and we have widened that to include those over a larger area,” he said.

Police are also trying to locate the owners of two vehicles, a grey/green people carrier seen near Garvary Church in the area, and a blue or purple Toyota four-wheel-drive spotted at the school gates just before the shooting.

“Our inquiries are at an advanced stage, and a lot of that is due to the good co-operation we have had from local people,” said Mr Kyle.

From RTE:

Boy's condition improves after shooting
04 May 2005 14:01

The condition of a five-year-old boy who was shot in the head in Co Fermanagh 12 days ago has improved.

Darragh Somers was struck down by a bullet fired apparently accidentally while he was playing in a schoolyard.

His condition has changed from critical to 'serious but stable'. Darragh has been moved to an ordinary ward at the children's hospital in Belfast.
Email Services from RTE

Staff say he has been asking about his favourite television programmes and has also been singing.

The first-year pupil had been playing with friends in the grounds of St Patrick's Primary School at Mullinaskea when a .22 rifle shot was fired nearby.

He was critically injured in the head by a bullet, possibly fired by a huntsman shooting vermin.

Police hope that with the improvement in Darragh's condition, the person involved might now come forward.

As the investigation continues, 51 rifles have been examined and some have already been eliminated from their inquiries.

And from the News Letter:

Darragh Able To Chat About TV
By Anne Palmer
Thursday 5th May 2005

SCHOOL chums of P1 pupil Darragh Somers say prayers for their little friend from St Patrick's Primary at Mullanaskea every day.

Some of those prayers appear to have been answered with news that the five-year-old's condition is gradually improving.

Darragh underwent hours of emergency surgery to remove a bullet from a .22 rifle which had lodged in his head, after he was shot in the school playground by a stray bullet.

Doctors at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast have described his condition as "seriously ill but stable". But the child's prospects appear to be improving slightly as he is no longer critical and is now able to chat about his favourite television programmes, sing and sip water.

Last night, Bernard O'Connor, principal of St Patrick's Primary, said the news marked a massive turning point for everyone who feared the worst.

"This is an answer to our prayers. I think it is miraculous for this child to make a recovery, given the injury and location of the bullet," he said.

He praised staff at the Erne Hospital for their early diagnosis and dedicated surgeons and staff at the Royal Victoria who tended to Darragh so quickly in the aftermath.

"We were devastated. It was been a difficult time for us, and for parents and for Darragh's brothers and granny and aunts and the rest of his family," he said.

Mr O'Connor said the main focus of the school was to have Darragh's health restored.

"Darragh is a wonderful child; funny, witty and a great mixer who plays with his peers and older children too as he is used to that at home, where he has older brothers," he added. "The result of that is that everyone in school knows Darragh."

The principal said it was hard to believe something like this could happen in his own school playground and it would be a relief to everyone in the school community to know what had happened.

"If only the person who did it would own up, whatever the circumstances," he said. "We are not out to condemn anyone. Accidents happen. You made a mistake, you'll be forgiven and the child is recovering.

"In the days after the shooting, we were numbed. There was an eerie silence about the place. But there was a massive bond between us because everyone was going through this together.

Last night, police confirmed inquiries were at an advanced stage.

PSNI chief inspector Nigel Kyle said: "A lot of that is due to the good cooperation we have had from local people. I would like to thank them for that, and also appeal to them to continue with that support.

"With this good news, we hope the person who fired the shot will realise the situation is not as bleak as once feared, and we hope that person will now come forward, either directly to police or via a third-party."

Over 50 rifles were seized and some have already been eliminated from inquiries.

Police continue to consult gun dealers in the district and are keen to speak to the owners of a grey or green people carrier seen near Garvary Church and a dark blue purple Toyota four-wheel drive seen at the school grounds shortly before the incident.

Sparks

Another update from IOL today:

Playground-shooting father appeals to gunman
09/05/2005 - 17:47:24

An anguished father whose child was hit in the head by a stray bullet today pleaded with the gunman to own up and end the family’s torment.

Gerald Somers left his son’s hospital bedside for the first time to issue an appeal over the rifle shot that wounded five-year-old Darragh in a school playground in Northern Ireland.

Despite forensic and ballistic tests on more than 50 seized guns, detectives refuse to disclose if they know who fired the bullet.

But Mr Somers insisted an admission could ease the shooter’s guilt, and help him and his wife Jeannine to cope.

He said: “The person that did this, it was a terrible accident.

“I have no doubt in my mind they are feeling the strain of it, they have an awful weight to bear.

“If he could even find it in himself to come forward it would be so much better, in order for Jeannine and me to move forward with Darragh and put closure to this.”

Darragh has made an astonishing recovery since he was injured while playing at St Patrick’s Primary School near Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, on April 22.

After days spent critically ill on a life-support machine, his condition is now ill but stable.

It is thought he was hit by a stray bullet from a .22 rifle fired by someone shooting vermin nearby.

Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle, who is heading the investigation, admitted someone may be shielding the gunman.

He was certain whoever fired the shot knew what had happened, but stressed police were still treating it as a sporting accident.

Mr Kyle said it could harm the inquiry if police revealed whether they knew who was responsible.

He added: “It’s not too late for that person to come forward.

“There must be tremendous pressure on their shoulders. They will have to live with this for the rest of their life.”

Although everyone questioned by police has been eliminated from the investigation, the police still need to identify a mysterious dark blue 4x4 Toyota Jeep spotted driving in and out of the school just before the shooting.

“There was no letting down or picking up of children,” said Mr Kyle.

Mr Somers accepted it would be some time yet before his son is allowed home from the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

But he said: “All the cards and letters, we have sat at the bedside and read every one of them.

“Darragh is still ill but coming along quite nicely.

“He’s had a special reward for being a good patient, and he gets his bandages colour-coordinated with his pyjamas.

“We are delighted with his progress so far, and can’t wait for the day we are bringing him home.”