Murder inquiry over army's shooting of Northern Ireland man 41 years ago
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Version 0 of 1. The army’s fatal shooting of a man with a mental age of 10 during the Northern Ireland Troubles is now a murder inquiry, police have confirmed. John Pat Cunningham, who was said to be terrified of people in uniforms, died after being shot close to his Co Tyrone home in 1974. Forty-one years after he was killed, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNL) said on Tuesday it was reopening its investigation into his death. Described as a vulnerable adult with a mental age of 10, the 27-year-old was fatally wounded from three bullets fired at him after he ran away from an army patrol near his home in the village of Benburb. Detectives from the PSNI’s Legacy Investigations Branch said that following an assessment of available evidence a murder investigation had been launched. But Cunningham’s family said they had no confidence in the Legacy Investigations Branch and did not want the PSNI to investigate. They said they would prefer an independent inquiry under a new Historical Investigations Unit, which was proposed as part of the Stormont House Agreement – a deal in jeopardy over disagreements between nationalist and unionist politicians relating to welfare reforms and cuts. DI Neil McGuinness of the PSNI called on anyone with information about the killing to come forward. “It is appropriate and necessary to ask for assistance from not only the local community in Benburb, but also from people who may have moved away from the area or are in other parts of the world, if the investigation is to be fully progressed,” said McGuinness. He added: “I appreciate this happened more than 40 years ago but I believe there are people in the community today who remember this tragic incident, who knew John Pat and who may have information which would be of assistance to the investigation. “Our objective is to get to the truth of what happened that Saturday morning so that justice can be served.” An Historical Enquiries Team report back in 2013 concluded: “Mr Cunningham’s death was a tragedy that should never have happened, the MoD apologised to his family.” A statement to the family said: “The HET report makes it clear that John was blameless and, accordingly, I believe it is right and proper to make an apology to you on behalf of the government.” |