Off-duty female officer dies in blast with husband fighting for life and children wounded
AN OFF-duty female police officer was among those killed in the Manchester Arena bombing, it was revealed last night.
The unnamed officer’s husband and two children are believed to have been wounded in the blast.
It is understood her husband is fighting for his life in a Manchester hospital.
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins revealed the news at a press conference, saying: “Very sadly, I can confirm one of the victims is a serving police officer.”
She is the second police officer to be killed by terrorism in two months after PC Keith Palmer was murdered during the Westminster attack on March 22.
PC Palmer, 48, was guarding the Houses of Parliament when he was stabbed to death by Islamic Stateinspired Khalid Masood.
Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Once again the service has been rocked by the devastating news that a member of the police family has lost their life because of the murderous actions of a terrorist.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of everybody affected at this difficult time.”
The officer is believed to be a member of Cheshire Police.
As more names of the dead were released yesterday, defiant members of the public in Manchester mourned together as they flooded their terrorhit city with flowers, candles and messages of hope.
Many headed into the city’s Albert Square to place bouquets, teddy bears and cards as a memorial.
Thousands paused to read the sea of emotional tributes scattered about the square, with more tributes left at other points around the city centre.
‘Once again... a member of the police family has died due to a terrorist’
Among the cards and flowers at St Peter’s Square, a T-shirt emblazoned with a Union Jack had been placed on the ground with the words “ISIS coward” printed on it.
Another large placard read: “You will not win. We stand together.”
The public outpouring of grief came as a host of heartbreaking developments emerged yesterday.
Police said 15 of the 22 dead had been named but warned it could take a number of days before they can officially confirm all the victims due to the terrible nature of injuries sustained.
A further 20 of the 59 seriously injured victims remain critically ill in hospital, many of them children.
Two pop-loving 14-year-old schoolgirls enjoying the “best night of their lives” were caught in the devastating blast.
Nell Jones was killed while her best friend Freya Lewis survived after being kept alive by fellow concert goers.
Freya’s life was saved by brave Bradford couple Phil and Kim Dick, who gave her CPR and tended to her wounds as she lost “pints and pints of blood” for an hour until paramedics arrived.
Nell, from Goostrey, Cheshire, was among dozens of Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School pupils attending Monday night’s Ariana Grande concert.
Three other children, Sorrel Leczkowski, 14, from Leeds, Olivia Campbell, 15, from Manchester, and Megan Hurley, 15, from Liverpool, also perished in the atrocity.
Sorrel’s mother Samantha Leczkowski and her grandmother Pauline Healey were with her at the time and are both in hospital.
Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos was among the first victims confirmed to have died on Tuesday.
Her mother Lisa, 48, of Leyland, Lancs, is fighting for her life in intensive care, unaware her daughter was killed. Also among the dead is Jane Tweddle-Taylor, 51, wife of former Blackpool winger Mark Taylor, who now works behind the scenes for Sunderland AFC.
And two sisters have been orphaned after both their parents died in the blast.
Angelika and Marcin Klis took a final tragic selfie of themselves in Manchester’s city centre just minutes before heading to the arena to pick up daughters Patrycia, 12, and Alex, 20. PR manager Martyn Hett, 29, from Stockport, was also named as one of the dead.
Friends Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 47, from Oldham, who were waiting to pick up their teenage daughters, were also confirmed as dead by their families.
Kelly Brewster, 32, who bravely shielded her 11-year-old niece Hollie Booth and sister Claire Booth, 34, died in the atrocity.
Mother-of-three Michelle Kiss, 45, also died. Her young daughter Millie was photographed wrapped in a jacket and comforted by a responder before being taken to hospital. She is recovering at home in Lancashire.
In a Facebook post shared more than 25,000 times, Mrs Kiss’s son Elliot wrote: “Please can you let me know if anyone has seen my mum. She’s called Michelle Kiss and she was at the Ariana Grande concert. Please share.”
Georgina Callander, 18, and John Atkinson, 26, were also killed in the attack. Still missing are Chloe Rutherford, 17, and her boyfriend Liam Curry, 19. Courtney Boyle, 19, and Philip Tron, 32, from Gateshead, have also not been seen since the blast.
Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from Barra in the Outer Hebrides, also remains unaccounted for.
Her best friend Laura MacIntyre, 15, is critically ill in hospital.
Mother-of-two Wendy Fawell, 50, from Otley, West Yorks, who was waiting in the foyer for her 15-yearold daughter Charlotte has also not been found.