Castlederg united in shock and condemnation as man stabbed to death
People in Castlederg are united in shock and condemnation as the victim of a stabbing has died.
“You were the life and soul of the party, keep smiling up there,” were just some of the tributes paid to 28-year-old father Conor Browne who died on Monday after being attacked on the Main Street of the town on Saturday morning.
A murder investigation has since been launched and local priest Father Paul Fraser told UTV he had hoped and prayed for over two days that Conor would survive .
“Conor was the youngest of five children, spoilt by his older siblings. He had them wrapped around his finger.
"The hope they had has just subsided and they are in a total state of shock.”
Today an ever growing number of floral tributes were left in the town centre close to where Conor was fatally wounded.
He had been socalising with friends and was attacked as they left a pub.
Many of the sympathy messages left came from Conor’s grief stricken friends.
One reads: “You were one of the good guys, always remembered, never forgotten. Thanks for the memories.”
Another message says: “Conor you were the life and soul of the party. Keep smiling up there. Going to be loved and missed always.”
Local Sinn Fein councilor Ruairi McHugh knew Conor.
He told UTV that a sense of disbelief has descended on Castlederg: “Knife crime is not something thatt has ever been visited on Castlederg before and there is just a palabale sence of shock.
"People’s hearts go out to the Browne family.”
The brutal killing has united Castlederg in condemnation.
A cross-community vigil in memory of Conor will be held tomorrow night.
The town suffered during the Troubles but it is united in condemnation of his murder.
Local Ulster Unionist councillor Derek Hussey runs a bar near the scene and say he has never experienced an incident of this nature in over 30 years as a publican:
“We have had altractions. But this particular incident escalated to a totally unaccepabale level.”
The PSNI have arrested a total of five people in connection with the attack.
Four men, aged between 27 and 31 are still being questioned by detectives in custody this evening.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.