Men Accused of Attempted Murder of Detective John Caldwell in Northern Ireland
Two Men Charged with Attempted Murder of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell
Two men, aged 45 and 25, have been charged with the attempted murder of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Caldwell, who was seriously injured in a shooting incident in 2023. The 45-year-old was arrested in Stewartstown, Co Tyrone, while the 25-year-old was arrested in west Belfast [1][2][3].
The shooting took place at a youth sports complex in Omagh, Co Tyrone, where DCI Caldwell was coaching a football team. The incident occurred while he was putting footballs into the back of his car [1][2]. DCI Caldwell, who is 48, suffered life-changing injuries and was shot nine times [1][2].
Following their arrests in August 2025, both men were detained under the Terrorism Act and were due to appear at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court shortly thereafter [1][5]. They have since appeared in court on charges linked to the shooting, which police have linked to dissident republican activity [5].
DCI John Caldwell was a well-respected member of the PSNI, known for investigating major cases. Prior to the shooting, he was instrumental in the investigation of the murder of fellow police officer Ronan Kerr and the fatal shooting of journalist Lyra McKee [1][4]. Tragically, the shooting incident occurred in front of DCI Caldwell's son [1][2].
As a result of his injuries, DCI Caldwell was forced to retire on medical grounds in December 2023 [1][2]. The charges against the two men will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service. They are scheduled to appear at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning [5].
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-56974722 [2] https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2023/02/10/news/two-men-charged-with-attempted-murder-of-psni-detective-chief-inspector-john-caldwell-1795974/ [3] https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/two-men-charged-with-attempted-murder-of-psni-detective-chief-inspector-john-caldwell-39433767/ [4] https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2023/02/10/news/john-caldwell-psni-detective-chief-inspector-who-was-shot-in-omagh-was-known-for-investigating-major-cases-1795974/ [5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-56977195
