Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
KNIFE RECOVERED AS MAN’S BODY FOUND
Police retrieve item from river 27-yr-old quizzed after death
THE PSNI are investigating after a man’s body was found yesterday morning.
The grim discovery was made in Ballymena, Co Antrim, and it is believed he may have been stabbed.
Images later showed officers recovering a knife from the Braid River as they searched the area.
However, it is not yet clear if the find is linked to the man’s death.
In a statement last night police said they had made an arrest in connection with the incident.
It read: “Detectives investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a man in the Harryville area of Ballymena have arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of robbery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
“He remains in custody at this time.”
A large police corden remained in place throughout the day close to Railway Street and the Harryville Bridge.
DUP councillor Reuben Glover said there was shock in the town. He told the Mirror last night: “Forensics were there from about 11am until late this evening.
“There was a knife found in the river and they’ve taken that away for forensics. If that is linked to the death it will become clearer in the coming days.
“It’s a sad day for everybody and all of the families concerned. You’re just not expecting that sort of thing taking place.
“There’s a lot of shock. We had a murder in Glenwherry outside the town and now this has taken place. It’s a sad week for Ballymena.”
Earlier, a police spokesman confirmed an investigation is underway. He added:
CO ANTRIM YESTERDAY
“A postmortem will take place in due course. There are no further details at this stage.” An ambulance service spokesman said: “The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at approximately 6.20am on Sunday, January 24, following reports of a medical emergency in the Harryville area of Ballymena. “NIAS dispatched an emergency crew to the scene. No one was taken to hospital from this specific incident.”
One resident told the Mirror yesterday: “I’m totally shocked. As a person who was born in Harryville it’s awful to hear of this death.
“The prayers of the people of Harryville go out for him and his family.”
DUP councillor Audrey Wales added: “It’s very sad that an incident like this has happened. My sympathies go out to his family.
“People are shocked around the area, shocked that it’s happened in their neighbourhood. “There’s a sense of sadness here today.”