Police have named the mother and two teenage 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 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. Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness appealed for anyone who had spoken to the family in recent weeks to come forward.
The shooting has stunned the rural community. Tributes have been left at the scene, including flowers with a note reading: 'We are heartbroken. May they rest in peace.' Enniskillen Royal Grammar School said it was mourning the loss of two vibrant pupils, while local sports clubs described the family as active and beloved members.
The ambulance service received a call at 8.21am on Wednesday. Whyte and one child were pronounced dead at the scene. The injured man was taken by air ambulance to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, while the other child was taken to a hospital in Enniskillen, where they were pronounced dead.
