O'Loan inquiry into fatal collision

The North's Police Ombudsman is to investigate the case of a 29-year-old west Belfast man who died after he was hit by a PSNI…

The North's Police Ombudsman is to investigate the case of a 29-year-old west Belfast man who died after he was hit by a PSNI Land Rover responding to an emergency call at the weekend.

The pedestrian, who has been named as Jim McMenamin, was struck by the vehicle on Upper Springfield Road shortly after 1am on Saturday.

Police officers tried to help Mr McMenamin, who lived in the area, but he died at the scene.

Staff from Nuala O'Loan's office, which routinely investigates all incidents involving loss of life where there is police involvement, examined the scene shortly after the incident took place.

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"We have forensic scientists and scenes-of-crime officers at the location," Mrs O'Loan's spokesman said.

"The area has been videoed and photographed and any exhibits have been removed. The police vehicle has also been removed for further forensic analysis," he said.

"We have spoken to the police officers who were in the Land Rover and have appointed a family liaison officer to support the man's family, who are very upset at what has happened," the spokesman said.

The Ombudsman's office has asked anyone with information about what happened, or about Mr McMenamin's movements earlier in the night, to contact them.

Tim Attwood, a west Belfast councillor, called on witnesses to help the inquiry team.

"This is a terrible tragedy," he said.

"All sympathy must go to the family of the young man killed. The Police Ombudsman has full responsibility for investigating this fatal accident and the independence of her office can guarantee a full inquiry into the circumstances of death. I would urge the Ombudsman to conduct her inquiry quickly and publish her full conclusions. Anybody with information or any witnesses should make themselves known without delay to her office," Cllr Attwood said.

However, Sinn Féin accused the PSNI of involvement in a high-speed chase with car criminals.

Cllr Janice Austin said there was shock and anger in the area after the fatality.

"Local community organisations have been warning for some time that these types of PSNI high-speed chases which have become a regular feature of policing in west Belfast would result in innocent people being injured and killed. Unfortunately the PSNI ignored the pleas of the local community and continued with this practice."