Published Date: 10.03.2014

The Police Ombudsman’s Office has appealed for witnesses to an incident in which the police discharged an AEP in the Whiterock Road area of Belfast yesterday afternoon (9 March 2014).

At around 14:50pm police received a call from an address in Ballymurphy following a domestic disturbance. They received information that a youth in possession of a knife had been behaving in a threatening manner. He was located shortly after by police in the vicinity of Whiterock Leisure Centre.

During the incident an AEP was discharged by the police at the boy, striking him below the waist. He did not require hospital treatment, but was taken into police custody.

The case was referred to the Ombudsman for independent investigation. A spokesman for the Office said “As part of our investigation we would like to speak to any member of the public who may have seen this incident. It happened close to the Whiterock Leisure Centre, adjacent to a football pitch which was being used at the time.”

“Anyone who saw what happened is asked to call our Witness Appeal Line on 0800 032 7880.”