BALLYMURPHY MASSACRE

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The Ballymurphy Massacre was the killing of eleven civilians by the British Army in Belfast.The killings occurred between the 9th and 11th of August 1971.On the morning of Monday 9 August 1971, the security forces launched Operation Demetrius. The plan was to arrest and imprison charge or trial anyone suspected of being members of paramilitary groups.Troops locked down the Ballymurphy area, and as they entered they were allegedly fired upon by republicans.Six civilians were shot on 9 August, these were:
  • Francis Quinn (20), shot by a sniper(who had taken position at the nearby army base) while going to the aid of a wounded man
  • Hugh Mullan (38), a Catholic priest, shot by a sniper while going to the aid of a wounded man.
  • Joan Connolly (50), shot as she stood opposite the army base.
  • Daniel Teggart (44), shot as he stood opposite the army base.
  • Noel Phillips (20), shot as he stood opposite the army base.
  • Joseph Murphy (41), shot as he stood opposite the army base
One civilian was shot on 10 August, and another four were shot on 11 August, these were:
  • Edward Doherty (28), shot while walking along Whiterock Road.
  • John Laverty (20)and Joseph Corr (43) were shot at separate points at the Top of the Whiterock Road. John was shot twice once in the back and once in the back of the leg. Mr Corr was shot multiple times and died of his injuries on the 27th of August.
  • John McKerr (49), shot while standing outside the Roman Catholic Church, died of his injuries on 20 August.
  • Paddy McCarthy (44) got into a confrontation with a group of soldiers. One of them allegedly put an empty gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. As a result, McCarthy suffered a heart-attack and died shortly thereafter.
The families of the victims continue to seek acknowledgment from the British government that those killed were innocent of any wrongdoing