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Three people are arrested over Comber murder | Three people are arrested over Comber murder |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Three men have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man in County Down on Wednesday. | |
The body of the man, named locally as Philip Strickland, 36, was found in a car on Quarry Road, off the Ballydrain Road, near Comber on Wednesday. | The body of the man, named locally as Philip Strickland, 36, was found in a car on Quarry Road, off the Ballydrain Road, near Comber on Wednesday. |
A father and his two sons aged 54, 26 and 25, were arrested on Thursday and taken to Antrim PSNI station. | |
The murder happened about 21:00 GMT on Wednesday. The victim is understood to be from the Comber area. | The murder happened about 21:00 GMT on Wednesday. The victim is understood to be from the Comber area. |
A local man reported hearing a bang to the police and thought there had been an accident. | A local man reported hearing a bang to the police and thought there had been an accident. |
He said: "I heard a deep thud which, I thought, was maybe the goats in the field next door - they bash the hut now and again. | He said: "I heard a deep thud which, I thought, was maybe the goats in the field next door - they bash the hut now and again. |
"I took my own bin down to the bottom of the lane and on the way back up I could see blue lights and a couple of cars at the bottom of the hill. I thought a car had actually crashed into the bottom of the hedge. That's what it sounded like to me." | "I took my own bin down to the bottom of the lane and on the way back up I could see blue lights and a couple of cars at the bottom of the hill. I thought a car had actually crashed into the bottom of the hedge. That's what it sounded like to me." |
Car removed | Car removed |
He said he also heard "excited female voices" and thought people were standing about talking about a crash. | He said he also heard "excited female voices" and thought people were standing about talking about a crash. |
"It's a quiet area and the only gunfire you hear is the duck shooters on the lough," he said. | "It's a quiet area and the only gunfire you hear is the duck shooters on the lough," he said. |
It is believed a number of vehicles made off along the Ballydrain Road in the direction of Lisbane after the incident. | It is believed a number of vehicles made off along the Ballydrain Road in the direction of Lisbane after the incident. |
Police have taken a small blue car hatchback car away from the scene in a recovery vehicle and the area has been sealed off as forensic experts comb the ground for clues. | Police have taken a small blue car hatchback car away from the scene in a recovery vehicle and the area has been sealed off as forensic experts comb the ground for clues. |
Ballydrain Road is a rural, narrow route south of Comber, close to the picturesque Strangford Lough. | Ballydrain Road is a rural, narrow route south of Comber, close to the picturesque Strangford Lough. |
It is around 10-15 miles from Belfast and is popular with fishermen and yachters. | It is around 10-15 miles from Belfast and is popular with fishermen and yachters. |
Condemning the murder, First Minister Peter Robinson said: "Deeds like this have no place in society and those who carried out this murder have nothing positive to offer. | Condemning the murder, First Minister Peter Robinson said: "Deeds like this have no place in society and those who carried out this murder have nothing positive to offer. |
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "This action will be rightly condemned across the entire community and we all hope that the perpetrators of this senseless crime will be brought to justice as soon as possible." | Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "This action will be rightly condemned across the entire community and we all hope that the perpetrators of this senseless crime will be brought to justice as soon as possible." |