Family of child killed by soldier call for fresh investigation

Eleven-year-old Stephen McConomy was shot by a soldier using a plastic baton round in the Bogside on April 11, 1982.

He was amongst seven or eight children standing close to an army Saracen when he was shot. He died three days later from injuries sustained in the shooting.

A lance corporal told the original inquest into his death: “I aimed the gun which I knew was loaded with a baton round at the youth with the cardboard box.

“After the smoke cleared from about the gun, I saw a young child lying at the top of the green embankment exactly where the man in the donkey coat had been standing.”

According to the memorial to those killed during the Northern Ireland Troubles, ‘Lost Lives,’ a forensic scientist told the inquest the soldier’s “gun was inaccurate by 11 to 15 degrees” and concluded that the soldier had “issued a warning a few minutes before the plastic bullet was fired adding that the soldiers were not in ‘any great danger’ at the time of the incident.’”

Now the family have called for a fresh investigation into the shooting.

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan supported the family and said: “The family deserve the support and sympathy of us all as they seek a fresh investigation into the totally unjustified killing of Stephen McConomy – who was shot dead by a plastic bullet aged only 11.

“Right from the start the police investigation into his killing was totally inadequate.

“Any cooperation and information which any person or any source can afford should be made available so that the McConomy family can at last begin to get to the truth of the killing of Stephen.

“The rules for firing plastic bullets are tighter now. But this is not enough. I have consistently sought an outright ban on these lethal weapons.

“That would be the best guarantee that no child will lose his or her life like Stephen so tragically did.”