Irish teen dies in shooting

A TEENAGE girl was shot dead and her sister seriously injured yesterday in a shooting attack in a small village in Northern Ireland.

Police were called to the scene at a house in Bellaghy, near Magherafelt in County Derry. It is believed the dead girl celebrated her 18th birthday last week. Her older sister, aged in her early 20s, is the mother of two young children according to local residents.

One man in his 20s has been arrested and taken to Antrim police station for questioning.

There is currently no suggestion that the incident is linked to any sectarian activity.

Martin McGuinness, MP for Mid-Ulster and Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, said his thoughts are with the girl’s family.

A police spokesman said the force received a report of the shooting just before 10.40am yesterday. He added: “At around 11.10am, a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 28-year-old man and 28-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.