Natasha Butler

British Army soldiers did not use reasonable force in the shooting of a Catholic priest, a father-of-six and three teenagers in two areas of west Belfast on July 9 1972, a coroner ruled on Thursday. Mr Justice Scoffield said that Father Noel Fitzpatrick, 42, father-of-six Patrick Butler, 38, and teenagers David McCafferty and Margaret Gargan were unarmed and posed no risk when they were shot. Families, friends and supporters of the five gathered at Belfast Coroner’s Court and applauded and hugged each other as the findings were read out. Relatives of the victims reacted to the ruling outside court, with calls for the “British establishment” to apologise. 🎥 Rohit Balaji

"We should treat them as heroes, because they were heroes." Family and friends of those who died during the Springhill shootings held a vigil at The Westrock Memorial Garden on Thursday evening. Earlier today the coroner ruled that the British Army soldiers did not use reasonable force in the shooting of a Catholic priest, a father-of-six and three teenagers in two areas of west Belfast on July 9 1972. Mr Justice Scoffield said that Father Noel Fitzpatrick, 42, father-of-six Patrick Butler, 38, and teenagers David McCafferty and Margaret Gargan were unarmed and posed no risk when they were shot. 🎥 Dylan Hegarty