Off duty cop shoots robber in Belfast

Dougal Maguire · February 03, 2011, 09:32:36 PM

A man has been shot dead by an off-duty police officer during a suspected robbery at a petrol station .

The PSNI said it happened on the Albertbridge Road in Belfast at 1905 GMT on Thursday.

It is believed the dead man was armed with a knife and was attempting to rob the the filling station. Nobody else was injured.

A PSNI spokesman said: "Initial enquiries suggest that an off-duty officer discharged his firearm.

Milltown Row2 · February 03, 2011, 09:42:05 PM

Crazy, will hold judgement till I hear the whole story. Could he not have shot him in the legs or something???

Lady GAA GAA · February 03, 2011, 09:42:42 PM

Bring back the RUC.

Tubberman · February 03, 2011, 09:48:12 PM

Jesus Christ, he shot him dead!?

I have no time for ciriminality, but he was attempting to rob a petrol station. Unless he was about to stab someone with the knife, I don't see how shooting him can be justified.

orangeman · February 03, 2011, 09:55:44 PM

Quote from: Tubberman on February 03, 2011, 09:48:12 PM
Jesus Christ, he shot him dead!?

I have no time for ciriminality, but he was attempting to rob a petrol station. Unless he was about to stab someone with the knife, I don't see how shooting him can be justified.

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They'll have no bother justifying this.

3 months for stealing a pair of jeans, life, literally for robbing a filling station.

Crazy world boys !

muppet · February 03, 2011, 09:58:56 PM

We need to wait for the facts.

However robbing defenseless petrol attendants with a knife is not a good place to start on the sympathy scale.

lawnseed · February 03, 2011, 09:59:10 PM

dont know what happened but as a relation of someone who has been robbed several times i've very little sympathy for the robber.

Puckoon · February 03, 2011, 10:00:12 PM

Hard to say it can't be justified when you've someone weilding a knife and committing an armed robbery. Potentially excessive? Maybe - but its pretty low on details currently.

If you're going to step outside of the law - be prepared for the worst.

Tyrones own · February 03, 2011, 10:02:12 PM

Exactly...we've one less knife wielding criminal on the streets this evening!

fitzroyalty · February 03, 2011, 10:04:34 PM

Presumeably the rest of the story will emerge tomorrow with more details, but the first thing I thought was why could this officer not have held him at gunpoint before calling colleagues?

fitzroyalty · February 03, 2011, 10:07:12 PM

Quote from: Tyrones own on February 03, 2011, 10:02:12 PM
Exactly...we've one less knife wielding criminal on the streets this evening!

One more murderer.

lawnseed · February 03, 2011, 10:12:05 PM

was it harry callaghan?

118cmal · February 03, 2011, 10:16:16 PM

Allegedly the off-duty policeman told the robber to drop the machete and at this point the robber attempted to attack the policeman. This is when the shot was fired.

Allegedly.

pintsofguinness · February 03, 2011, 10:18:16 PM

f**k him.

Tony Baloney · February 03, 2011, 10:20:00 PM

Quote from: fitzroyalty on February 03, 2011, 10:07:12 PM
Quote from: Tyrones own on February 03, 2011, 10:02:12 PM
Exactly...we've one less knife wielding criminal on the streets this evening!
One more murderer.

Convicted already? Maybe the robber attacked the peeler with the knife? If he attacked me I'd put a bullet in him too.