ACT OF RANDOM VIOLENCE CLAIMED LIFE OF JIMMY
JIMMY LOUGHLIN LOST HIS LIFE AFTER BEING ATTACKED AT HIS FRONT DOOR
Jimmy Loughlin (20) had gone to the front door of the house he was living in at Connolly Street after hearing noise sometime around 1.15pm last Saturday.
Glass in the door was broken and Jimmy, who was alone in the dwelling at the time, was confronted and attacked by a man wielding a wheelbrace.
A member of the public had rang the Gardaí on seeing the events unfolding.
Gardaí were quickly on the scene including members of the Armed Response Unit.
A suspect was arrested soon afterwards in a nearby apartment block by uniformed Gardaí and was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
There doesn’t appear to have been any motive for the latest violent death in Sligo.
A random act of violence had claimed the life of a popular young man who has been described as fun loving and kind hearted. He had turned 20 last January.
Connolly Street was cordoned off by Gardaí while the suspect was detained and brought to Ballymote Garda Station for questioning. He was kept there until being brought before a sitting of Donegal District Court on Monday morning.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan carried out a post-mortem at Sligo University Hospital but its findings have not been released by Gardaí for what they call operational reasons.
The house where the body of Mr Loughlin was found was forensically examined as was the home of the arrested man nearby by a team from the Technical Bureau based at Garda Headquarters in Dublin and assisted by the local Scenes of Crime Unit.
Senior officers were at the scene on Saturday afternoon where Superintendent Ray McMahon appealed to anyone who may have witnessed this assault or anyone with information to contact Sligo Garda Station on 071-9157000.
It’s understood Gardaí have CCTV footage of the events leading up to the death of Mr Loughlin and are now examining it in detail.
As the attack happened in broad daylight, the chances are higher that it may have been witnessed by one or more people.
The victim was believed to have been getting ready to go out to work just before he was murdered. It’s understood the young man had also just booked a trip to Poland with his girlfriend.
Family friend and Kilross neighbour Thomas Walsh spoke of his shock at how someone as inoffensive and quiet as Jimmy Loughlin could have been attacked in this way.
“It’s such a sad affair. His family are devastated. He was in my brother’s class at school. He was such a quiet fella. He wouldn’t harm a fly or say boo to anyone. He was mad into music,” he told The Sligo Champion.
“He’d have been a very popular young fella. You just don’t expect something like this to happen on your doorstep,” added Thomas.
Mr Loughlin attended Coola Post-Primary School and played for Ballygawley Celtic. Events for both organisations were cancelled last week-end as a mark of respect including the club’s match against Ballymote in the Sligo/Leitrim and District Soccer League due to be played on Sunday.
Members of Ballygawley Celtic will form a Guard of Honour at his funeral mass tomorrow in St Theresa’s Church Ballintogher at 12 noon.