Two handguns and a shotgun were recovered following the arrest of murder suspect Kieran McLaughlin, police have revealed.
The car which McLaughlin was found hiding in Fern Park. Photo: Lorcan Doherty Photography
The 58-year-old, who police wanted to speak to in relation to the murder of 35-year-old Barry McCrory in the city on Thursday last, was arrested hiding behind a car in the driveway of a house in Fern Park in the Galliagh area shortly after 3.00am this morning.
The area around the house has been sealed off by police while a number of homes have been evacuated in Moss Park and Ederowen Park where army bomb disposal teams are checking out two vehicles.
One of the cars – silver coloured – is parked beside a house in Ederowen which police have visited on a number of occasions since the manhunt began.
Local police commander, Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin said he was “very relieved” and “happy” the search for Mr McLaughlin had ended peacefully.
Speaking at a press conference in Strand Road police station this morning he said the arrest of Mr McLaughlin would not have happened without the co-operation of members of the public.
CS Martin said: “This has been the resolution we have all been hoping for this week, the peaceful arrest of Mr McLaughlin. He is now in custody and the criminal justice process will follow its course.”
The police chief said it had been a “difficult” week.
He said: “Our thoughts go out to the McCrory family. It has also been a difficult week for the McLaughlin family and for the people of this city. I would like to thank the people of this city for their fortitude and patience with us as we conducted our policing operation over the last few days.
He added: “I would also, in particular, like to thank the community for the co-operation they have given us. We would not have brought this to a conclusion last night without the assistance of members of the public.”
The police chief said the search to find McLaughlin involved police officers from across the North.
He said: This has been an extensive police operation over the last few days involving daily over 100 officers, officers not only from my own distict but also throughout the PSNI. I think it is appropriate for me to thank my collegaues in crime operations department and my colleagues in operations support department. We have engaged a range of specialist officers over the last few days and once again, as always, we have received fantastic co-operation from An Garda Siochana, and I am very, very grateful to them as well.
“This was a dangerous operation and we had to engage firearms specialists and we were well aware of the risks but it was our job to locate Mr McLaughlin and safely bring him into custody and I am grateful we have got the resolution that everyone wanted.
CS Martin said he was “very, very pleased” with the outcome.
He added “I am relieved that we have Mr McLaughlin in custody and that he is unharmed and is safe, and no one else has been harmed during the course of the police operation. I am relieved and content and it is now a matter for the criminal justice process to follow its course.”
He added police had spoken to the McLaughlin family following the arrest and he saiad he he believed their were relieved their father was, “safe, he is unharmed and that is with the police in custody.”
CS Martin said one of the firearms was recovered at the scene of the arrest while the other was located in a vehicle.
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