Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MAN QUIZZED OVER DOUBLE DEATHS
Pair’s bodies are discovered at flat in pre-christmas tragedy
A MAN was being questioned by police last night after the bodies of two people were found in a flat.
The male and female were discovered in the North Belfast property yesterday afternoon and a postmortem is to be carried out today.
Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee said: “This has been an awful experience for all concerned in the mouth of Christmas but people understand the seriousness and the tragic nature of today’s events.”
This has been an awful experience in mouth of Christmas JJ MAGEE NORTH BELFAST YESTERDAY
POLICE were last night probing the deaths of a man and a woman at a block of flats.
Their bodies were found in Kinnaird Court in North Belfast and led to a huge police response.
The detective leading the investigation would not confirm the cause of the deaths, however, it’s understood a main line of enquiry is the pair suffered stab wounds.
A 35-year-old man has been arrested and is helping police with their investigation. It’s understood officers were searching for a male suspect in the wake of the incident and the police helicopter was seen circling the scene for a number of hours.
A resident told the Mirror: “If the rumours are true then God love the families involved. It is completely tragic that people have had to die here today, it’s completely shocking and disgraceful.
“It’s not a reflection of what this district is like.”
Around 30 people were evacuated from the flats complex as forensic teams moved in to examine the area.
Det Chief Insp Peter Montgomery said: “At around 12.55pm police received a report from a member of the public that the bodies of two people had been discovered in a flat in the area. The circumstances of the deaths will now be subject to investigation and a postmortem will take place in due course.
“At this stage it would not be appropriate to elaborate further on the circumstances as our enquiries are at an extremely early stage.”
Sinn Fein Councillor JJ Magee said the deaths had “shocked and saddened the local community”.
He added: “I have visited families in Girdwood who have been forced
to move out of their homes while police forensic teams examine the scene and I am working with statutory agencies to provide those families with emergency accommodation.
“This has been an awful experience for all concerned in the mouth of Christmas but people understand the seriousness and the tragic nature of today’s events.
“I am appealing to the community to assist the police investigation in any way they can and to bring forward any information relevant to the investigation. It’s also important in the wake of this incident people remain vigilant.” SDLP councillor Paul Mccusker described it as a “barbaric” incident.
He told the Mirror: “The community are very sad and also very shocked and very angry this has happened.
“This area is a very built-up area, there are a lot of families, a lot of children here too.
“Just a few days before Christmas this is the worst kind of news for any family.
“Within the local community there is anger and sadness.”
Mr Mccusker said the dead couple were both “characters” and were well-known in the area.
He added: “A few days before Christmas this couple’s poor family will get this devastating and horrific news that they have died in such conditions.”
An ambulance service spokesman said: “The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 1.04pm relating to reports of an incident at Kinnaird Close, Belfast.
“NIAS despatched one rapid response paramedic and one officer to the scene.
“Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, no one was transferred to hospital.”
This is a very built up area, a lot of families & children too
PAUL MCCUSKER NORTH BELFAST YESTERDAY