Tributes paid after three killed in crush outside St Patrick’s Day disco
● Cheerleading team ‘devastated’ to lose member
A teenager who died following reports of a crush outside a St Patrick’s Day disco was a “beautiful soul ”, her cheerleading group has said.
Lauren Bullock ,17, was the “backbone” of the team, Euphoria Allstar Cheerleading NI said.
Two boys aged 16 and 17 also died in the incident outside the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, on Sunday evening.
The cheerleading team said yesterday: “Euphoria are absolutely devastated to say we lost one of our senior athletes, Lauren Bullock, in the tragedy in Cookstown last night.
“My heart is broken writing this. You were the most down to earth, beautiful soul and our Coral team will never be the same without you.
“You were an incredible cheerleader and were the backbone of our team.”
Several hundred people were trying to get into the venue after being dropped off by buses. Three teenagers died, one at the scene and two later in hospital, police confirmed.
A 16-year-old girl remains in hospital in a stable condition, while a further two teenagers were treated for injuries they suffered during the incident and released.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said that in the crush outside the venue, some people fell and struggled to get off the ground, and there was confusion in the immediate aftermath between 9 pm and 10pm on Sunday. Emergency response teams includ- ing doctors attended the venue around 9pm.
Assistant Chief Con stable Mark Hamilton said: “It is a truly awful incident, hear twrenching for everybody, particularly the families.”
Efforts to resuscitate the injured teenagers were made by emergency crew sat the scene.
ACC Hamilton said: “Everybody did their best for them last night but it is a truly appalling incident.”
He added: “Three are dead; the last person died this morn- in gun fortunately, with his parents near him.”
One of the deceased died at Antrim Area Hospital, the other at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh.
Mr Hamilton said preliminary investigations show there was a crush towards the front door of the hotel, and in that crush people seem to have fallen.
The nightlife venue in Mid Ulster can take up to 500 people.
Security camera footage is being examined and police have appealed for videos captured by those present.
ACC Hamilton said: “We are examining now to see if the people who have fallen are those who are deceased.
“There seemed to be a little bit of struggling going on to get people up off the ground.”
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service medical director Dr Nigel Ruddell said reports were confused, but everything pointed towards it being a tragic accident.
“It is a truly awful incident, heartwrenching for everybody, particularly the families”
ACC MARK HAMILTON