The moment gunshots shattered the silence

“WE were practising yoga, and relaxing. Then, all of a sudden, there were five-to-six bangs. I don’t know how, or why, but I instantly knew that they were gunshots. Within minutes, there were sirens, and people were shouting.”

These are the harrowing words of a woman who was at Youth Sport Omagh, attending a yoga class, when the sounds of gunshots, alarms, sirens and shouting pierced through the silence at around 8pm last night (Wednesday).

The woman, along with the other members of her yoga class, were asked not to leave the premises.

The news quickly unfolded that an off-duty police officer, who was spending his evening volunteering as a soccer coach, had been shot.

“The loud bangs sounded like a car back firing,” she recalled. “About five minutes later, an ambulance arrived at the scene. I was right beside the door of the yoga hall, and so I could hear everything so clearly: The sirens were blasting.

“When we were told what had happened, the atmosphere became tense. People were in shock.

“We were also informed that we were not to leave the premises until officers had enclosed the building,” she added. “I remember thinking: ‘Should we lock the door in case the gunman is lurking around?’

“When police went around each of us in the class to give statements, I was in a daze.”

The woman further spoke of how staff of Youth Sport Omagh helped to keep everyone as calm as possible as they remained inside the sports complex.

“The staff went above and beyond,” she said. “They knew we’d be there for a while, so they immediately got the coffee machines on as we scrambled for seats. We all knew we’d be there for the long haul.”

The Omagh lady also reflected on the moment of relief, when, hours later, the crowds at Youth Sport Omagh were authorised to leave.

“As none of the cars in the car park were allowed to move, we had to make alternative arrangements to get home,” she said. “But that didn’t matter too much: We were just grateful that we were safe. Many of us called for lifts and car-pooled home together, while scores of people made their way home on foot.

“It’s just terrible that this happened; especially as there were so many kids around,” the woman concluded. “Nobody wants this.

“I thought we were past this… We SHOULD be past this.”