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03/02/2014
Police Seek Rubber Bullet Witness
Police have issued an appeal to try and trace a schoolboy who may have seen his friend hit by a rubber bullet. The incident happened more than 40 years ago.
Francis Rowntree was 11-years-old when he was hit by a rubber bullet on 20 April 1972 which had been fired by the Army following a disturbance in the Divis Street area of west Belfast.
He died from his injuries two days later.
On 25 April 1972, an unnamed 14-year-old pupil at St Peter's Secondary School provided a written statement to the Association for Legal Justice in which he said he was with Mr Rowntree when he was shot.
Police believe this schoolboy may be an important witness to the incident and his information may be important to the inquest and to the Rowntree family.
The man would now be in his 50s.
The appeal comes as a fresh inquest into Francis Rowntree's death is to take place.
(JP/CD)
Francis Rowntree was 11-years-old when he was hit by a rubber bullet on 20 April 1972 which had been fired by the Army following a disturbance in the Divis Street area of west Belfast.
He died from his injuries two days later.
On 25 April 1972, an unnamed 14-year-old pupil at St Peter's Secondary School provided a written statement to the Association for Legal Justice in which he said he was with Mr Rowntree when he was shot.
Police believe this schoolboy may be an important witness to the incident and his information may be important to the inquest and to the Rowntree family.
The man would now be in his 50s.
The appeal comes as a fresh inquest into Francis Rowntree's death is to take place.
(JP/CD)
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