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NI police officer hurt in lorry hit-and-run stable in hospital | NI police officer hurt in lorry hit-and-run stable in hospital |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A police officer who was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident in County Armagh remains in a stable condition in hospital. | A police officer who was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident in County Armagh remains in a stable condition in hospital. |
Police said a lorry was driven at speed directly at the officer and he was pinned between it and a police vehicle. The lorry left the scene. | Police said a lorry was driven at speed directly at the officer and he was pinned between it and a police vehicle. The lorry left the scene. |
It happened in Cullyhanna as he was investigating the theft of a cash machine about 13 miles away near Newry. | It happened in Cullyhanna as he was investigating the theft of a cash machine about 13 miles away near Newry. |
Police are treating the incident as attempted murder. | Police are treating the incident as attempted murder. |
Injuries | |
The officer was struck after leaving his vehicle to speak to the driver of "a suspicious lorry transporting a car" on Mullaghduff Road, police said. | |
Supt Simon Walls said the officer was receiving treatment for a fractured ankle, injuries to his back and a wound to his head. | |
"His injuries are not considered life-threatening, and it is hoped he will not be required to spend a long time in hospital," he said. | |
Supt Walls said police believed the lorry involved in the incident had been stolen a short time earlier in Cullyhanna. | |
A lorry matching its description was found burnt out across the border at Mullyash Mountain in County Monaghan, about five miles away. | |
Appealing for information about its movements, Supt Walls said: "The lorry is described as a low loader with a white cab, a yellow bumper, a red low loader body and carrying a white or silver vehicle." | |
Policing Board chair Anne Connolly said: "This officer was simply doing his job but it shows the dangers our officers can face in serving the community." | Policing Board chair Anne Connolly said: "This officer was simply doing his job but it shows the dangers our officers can face in serving the community." |
Sinn Féin assembly member Megan Fearon said: "This was a horrendous attack and there can be no justification for it." | Sinn Féin assembly member Megan Fearon said: "This was a horrendous attack and there can be no justification for it." |
Democratic Unionist Party assembly member William Irwin said: "If the person responsible for this incident is linked to the theft then it underlines the extremely dangerous nature of those involved in organised theft of cash machines." | Democratic Unionist Party assembly member William Irwin said: "If the person responsible for this incident is linked to the theft then it underlines the extremely dangerous nature of those involved in organised theft of cash machines." |
Ulster Unionist councillor David Taylor said: "It is disgusting that a man serving the whole community should be mown down in the line of duty." | Ulster Unionist councillor David Taylor said: "It is disgusting that a man serving the whole community should be mown down in the line of duty." |
Earlier on Friday, a digger was used to rip a cash machine from the wall of a filling station on the Camlough Road, near Newry, County Down, at about 03:30 GMT. | |
Later that day, a man in his 20s was arrested by police in the Republic of Ireland, at Drumass, Inniskeen, in County Monaghan. | |
He is to appear in court on Saturday charged in connection with the robbery. | |
Police on both sides of the border are continuing to search for a number of men who fled following the robbery. | Police on both sides of the border are continuing to search for a number of men who fled following the robbery. |