Officers responding to fatal hotel ‘crush' acted ‘in good faith'
Northern Ireland's police chief constable has said officers responding to the fatal ‘crush' outside a Cookstown hotel, which claimed the lives of three teenagers, acted in "good faith".
Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, suffered fatal injuries in the incident outside a St Patrick's day party at the Greenvale hotel.
Speaking to the Northern Ireland Policing Board yesterday, George Hamilton said that referring the initial police response to the ombudsman had been in the public interest. He added: "There were questions that needed answering."
However Hamilton also stressed that there was "nothing to say they the officers that responded] did anything but act in good faith in very difficult circumstances."
So far more than 620 witnesses have been identified and more than 290 interviews and statements recorded.
Hamilton said: "We will continue to carry out a rigorous investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Connor, Lauren and Morgan and we are deeply grateful for the huge assistance and support we have received from the community and elected representatives. We hope that people will continue to come forward and assist us with this investigation."
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