THE PSNI IS investigating if five police officers who were involved in the initial police response to an apparent crush outside a teenage disco in Co Tyrone in March engaged in misconduct.
Three teenagers – Morgan Barnard (17), Lauren Bullock (17) and Connor Currie (16) – were killed in a queue for a disco at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown on St Patrick’s Day.
The PSNI today confirmed that the officers are being investigated for potentially committing the offence of misconduct in public office.
Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said the PSNI has “full confidence in the Office of the Police Ombudsman to complete a thorough and independent investigation and we will cooperate fully throughout it”.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of Morgan Barnard, Connor Currie and Lauren Bullock who tragically died at the event, and the police investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths continues,” Martin added.
No officers have been suspended to date, but their duty status “will be kept under constant review”. Martin said the PSNI will not comment further until the investigation is complete.
Parents of the victims previously raised questions about the police response to the tragedy.
The PSNI referred the case to the Police Ombudsman in March. At the time, the organisation said the police officers who were first on the scene “withdrew to await further police support”.
More than 630 young people were in or near the queue when the tragedy occurred, the police previously confirmed.
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