THE SUSPECTED robber shot dead in a Belfast filling station by an off-duty police officer on Thursday was named yesterday.
Marc Alexander Ringland (29), from the east of the city, died after the off-duty officer discharged his weapon during what is thought to have been an attempted armed robbery in which a knife was produced.
Twenty investigators from the Police Ombudsman’s office are examining CCTV and other evidence as efforts are made to establish precisely what happened.
They are automatically called to a scene when officers fire live rounds or new-style plastic bullets.
Spokesman Peter O’Sullivan said: “We don’t know exactly what’s happened. We are investigating the sequence of events. But unfortunately the person was shot by the off-duty police officer.
“We are currently examining exactly what’s happened, we have a number of witnesses that we are speaking to. We would ask that if there are any other witnesses who feel they have information that may help us to come forward and speak to the Police Ombudsman and we will deal with that information,” he added.
A forensic examination of the scene has been completed and a number of items have been taken away by officers for further investigation.
The BP filling station on the city’s Albertbridge Road, a busy arterial route, was open for business as normal yesterday but staff on the premises were not speaking to reporters.
Police officers are routinely armed when on duty and are permitted to carry personal protection weapons when off duty.
Local elected representatives have expressed the widespread shock in the area at the killing and called for it to be investigated fully.
East Belfast MP Naomi Long said: “This is clearly a tragic and traumatic situation for all of those involved and our thoughts are very much with them all at this time. It is also very disturbing for people living and working in the wider area.”
DUP junior minister Robin Newton, who said his son had been caught up in another robbery at the same premises some years ago, said the “distressing incident” was typical of the crime trend in the area.
Dawn Purvis, an Independent Assembly member, said she “deeply regretted the loss of life” while Sinn Féin representative Niall Ó Donnghaile said: “Regardless of the circumstances surrounding this incident we are dealing with a fatality; our thoughts are with the family of the man who has been shot.”
UUP policing board member Basil McCrea urged the Police Ombudsman to report on its findings as quickly as possible while the SDLP’s Dominic Bradley warned against any rush to judgment.
The off-duty officer is understood to have been offered counselling by the PSNI.