Man released over 1983 police murders

Published Wednesday, 21 December 2011
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A man who handed himself in to police investigating the murders of two police officers in Rostrevor, Co Down almost 29 years ago has been released.

Sergeant Eric Brown, 41, and 23-year-old Reserve Constable Brian Quinn were shot dead by IRA gunmen as police approached a suspicious car outside a post office in the Co Down village in January 1983.

The officers stopped to check a suspicious Ford Escort sitting outside the post office which they were guarding, when gunmen in the car opened fire.

A third policeman was injured in the attack and all three were rushed to hospital but Sergeant Brown and Constable Quinn were dead on arrival.

Following the attack, an RUC spokesman said: "It does not have the hallmarks of an ambush, and it could be that the gunmen were taken by surprise."

The 53-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday and questioned by officers at the Serious Crime Branch, who reopened the case after work carried out by the Historical Enquiries Team.

He was later released unconditionally.

In April 1985 a Warrenpoint man was charged with killing the policemen.

© UTV News
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