Three people are in custody after a teenage girl was shot dead and her sister seriously injured in a gun attack in a Co Derry village this morning.
Police said they were attending the scene at residential premises at William Court in Bellaghy, near Magherafelt, Co Derry. It is understood the dead girl was 18 years-old and celebrated her birthday just last week.
Her older sister, aged in her early 20s, lived at the rented house, in a recently built development at the back of the established housing estate. Locals said the seriously injured woman is a mother of two young children.
Police said they received a report of the shooting shortly before 10.40am. A spokesman said: “At around 11.10am, a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 28-year-old male and 28-year-old female were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
“All three were arrested in the Toome area and have been taken to the serious crime suite at Antrim police station.”
Investigating officers have appealed for anyone with information about the incident to contact them.
The North's deputy first minister and Mid-Ulster MP Martin McGuinness said his heart goes out to the family of the girl who died.
“People I have spoken to in the area this morning are in a state of shock,” he said.
“I would wish to extend my thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the victim at this terrible time.”
PA