Police have named the mother and two children who were shot dead at their home in County Fermanagh.
Vanessa Whyte, 45, a veterinary surgeon, and her son James Rutledge, 14, and daughter Sara Rutledge, 13, were killed on Wednesday at their detached house in Maguiresbridge, a village 8 miles from Enniskillen.
A fourth casualty, a man who was a member of the same household, is in serious condition in hospital. Northern Ireland police said a triple murder and attempted suicide was one line of inquiry.
“Today, our thoughts remain with those loved ones whose worlds have been torn apart,” DCI Neil McGuinness said on Thursday. “Our investigation is continuing and I am keen to reiterate our appeal for anyone with information to get in touch. I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who had spoken to Vanessa, Sara or James over the last few weeks.
“If you are someone that Vanessa, Sara or James may have confided in, please come and speak to us. Any information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem could prove crucial to our investigation.”
The shooting stunned the rural community and prompted tributes for the victims. “We are heartbroken. May they rest in peace,” said a note left with flowers at the scene.
Whyte, originally from Ennis, County Clare, in the Republic of Ireland, reportedly moved to Fermanagh several years ago and was employed by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Enniskillen.
Colleagues and friends told local media she was a popular, down-to-earth woman who was devoted to her children.
Enniskillen Royal grammar school said it was mourning “the loss of two vibrant and much valued pupils”.
St Patrick’s Lisbellaw hurling club and St Mary’s Maguiresbridge Gaelic football club issued statements praising Whyte and her children as active, beloved members who will be desperately missed.
Enniskillen cricket club said the children were talented players and had lovely natures. “In what is a hard time for our small community, we would ask everyone to pull together and support each other through these difficult times,” it said.
The Church of Ireland’s Clogher diocese said the community would support family members “in the difficult days that lie ahead” and asked the public to respect their privacy.
The ambulance service said it received a call at 8.21am on Wednesday and dispatched emergency crews to the scene, where Whyte and one child were pronounced dead. An air ambulance took the injured man to the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast while an ambulance took the other child to a hospital in Enniskillen, where the teenager was pronounced dead.
Pat Cullen, the Sinn Féin MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, said people were mourning valued members of the community. “Two wee children have lost their lives and a mummy, when they just should be enjoying the school holidays and having a wonderful time,” she told the BBC.
