Sixth arrest in shooting of senior police officer in Northern Ireland

Man, 71, detained in Omagh under the Terrorism Act

Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell was shot by masked men in front of his young son multiple times in Omagh, County Tyrone. PA

The high-profile detective was shot near the property in Drumnakilly where a vehicle was abandoned and set alight overnight. PA

The cordoned off area on Racolpa Road in Drumnakilly. PA

Police Service of Northern Ireland officers work at the scene of the shooting. AP

A forensics officer at the scene. AP

Officers guard the crime scene. PA

A sixth man has been arrested over the attempted murder of a senior police officer in Northern Ireland.

The man, 71, was detained in Omagh under the Terrorism Act and was taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite to be questioned by detectives, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.

Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell was shot in front of his son by two masked gunmen as he put footballs in a car after finishing a coaching session with an under-15 football team on Wednesday evening.

Five men aged 22, 38, 43, 45 and 47 arrested earlier in connection with the attack remain in police custody.

Mr Caldwell, a serving police officer for 26 years who has led a number of major investigations, remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery.

The PSNI quickly focused its investigation on dissident republican group the New IRA.

The group has targeted police before and was responsible for the killing of journalist Lyra McKee in 2019.