Soldiers who shot dead three teenagers, man and priest 54 years ago did not use reasonable force, coroner rules

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Soldiers who shot dead three teenagers, man and priest 54 years ago did not use reasonable force, coroner rules.

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Two British Army soldiers "lost control" and did not use reasonable force when they fatally shot five people in west Belfast nearly 54 years ago, a coroner has ruled.Mr Justice Scoffield delivered his ruling on the killings that took place on July 9 1972, finding that the soldiers acted without proper justification.The victims included Catholic priest Father Noel Fitzpatrick, aged 42, Patrick Butler, a 38-year-old father of six, and three teenagers.Four of those killed were unarmed and presented no threat whatsoever when soldiers opened fire, the coroner concluded.

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TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The soldiers, identified only as Soldier A and Soldier E, were positioned at Corry's Timber Yard when the shootings occurred across two separate locations in the area.Father Fitzpatrick and Mr Butler died from a single bullet as they attempted to cross a road from an alleyway, with the priest looking to his left and Mr Butler glancing right at the moment of impact.The soldier responsible for...

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