A man from Belfast died early yesterday morning following a hit-and-run accident.
Mr Patrick Hanna (28) from South Link, Belfast, was crossing the Andersonstown Road around 4 a.m. when he was struck by a stolen Vauxhall Cavalier. The car was abandoned a short distance away in Errigal Park. Police have asked for assistance from the public in tracking down the driver. The car which was stolen in Magheralin, Craigavon, Co Armagh, about 2 a.m.
This is the second such incident in west Belfast in recent weeks. At the end of last month, seven-year-old Eamon Armstrong was killed when he was struck by a stolen taxi on the Falls Road. His mother and her boyfriend were seriously injured. Mr Alex Maskey, a Sinn Fein Assembly member for west Belfast, called for those involved in the incident to "hand themselves over. I want them off the streets".
"I want them to desist in their activity, and stop encouraging other young children to get involved in the same kind of activity which inevitably results in the deaths of people, and very valued members of our community."
Mr John Lowry, the Workers' Party Belfast chairman, said such incidents had again reached epidemic proportions in west Belfast. Those responsible should hand themselves over to the police, as had those involved in the death of Eamon Armstrong.
In Co Down, yesterday, a woman died early yesterday from injuries sustained in a fire at her home at Carnesure Park, Comber. The alarm was raised about 2.30 a.m. Ms Pauline Hopkins (29) was taken to hospital where she later died. Police are trying to determine the cause of the fire.