Pensioner released in playground shooting

A pensioner arrested in connection with the shooting of a five-year-old boy in a school playground has been released.

But police confirmed the 70-year-old man will be the subject of a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions in connection with the incident.

Darragh Somers has recovered after being shot in the head while playing with classmates outside Mullinaskea Primary School, near Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh in April.

The boy had two operations at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

Earlier, Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle confirmed police were not seeking anyone else for the school shooting and were preparing a file for the DPP.

During the investigation, more than 51 rifles in the area were seized for ballistic examination.

Mr Kyle said the incident had shocked the community and thanked locals for their cooperation.

“This has been a thorough and professional police investigation which would not have been possible without the full support of the local community,” he said.

“In particular I would like to recognise the responsible approach adopted by all those whose rifles were seized for their patience during the period of time that it has taken to have them examined.

“Police have been in close contact with Mr and Mrs Somers throughout the investigation and we met this morning again so that I could update them on this most recent development.”

The senior detective added: “Clearly an incident such as this shooting has been very shocking to the children and parents of Mullinaskea School in particular.

“Fortunately these kind of incidents are very very rare and it’s my hope that a successful outcome will serve to reassure the local community and the children and parents of the school.”

Darragh, who has just celebrated his sixth birthday, is due back at his school desk when the new term begins next week.

The child astonished medical staff by his recovery after the shooting.

He still has slight impairments to the left side of his body, but these are expected to ease with ongoing physiotherapy.

Along with his classmates, the boy has also undergone trauma counselling in an attempt to put the horrific episode behind him.