Published Date: 18.07.2009

The Police Ombudsman's Office is investigating the circumstances in which a police firearm was discharged in the Gilford area of County Down earlier today (18 July 2009).

A police officer discharged a single shot at the driver of a stolen 4x4 vehicle. The man was struck in the abdomen and has been treated at hospital. His injuries are not described as life threatening.

The stolen vehicle had been taken from a house in the Tullygally area of Craigavon at around 4.30am. The owner had been threatened with a petrol bomb as the car was being stolen.

The shot was discharged after a police patrol vehicle came across the stolen 4x4 shortly after 5am in the Gilford area.

Police Ombudsman investigators have been at the scene, which has been forensically examined, and have been conducting house-to-house enquiries in the area.

The incident was referred by the PSNI to the Police Ombudsman's Office for independent investigation.

ENDS