Vigil to be held for mum and two children after fatal shootings

A vigil is to be held and a book of condolences will open later following the deaths of a mother and her two children in a shooting in County Fermanagh.

Vanessa Whyte and her children, James and Sara Rutledge, werekilled in a suspected triple murder and attempted suicide in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday.

Ms Whyte, who was 45, was a veterinary surgeon while James was 14 and Sara was 13.

A man - who is a member of the same household - is being treated for serious gunshot injuries at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

The book of condolences will open at 11:00 BST in the school hall at Maguiresbridge Primary School, where James and Sara previously attended.

It has been coordinated by The Village Rural Development Association.

The group said it "feels it is important that our close-knit community have an opportunity come together and support each other at this difficult time".

The vigil will be held in the school grounds at 19:00 BST.

Speaking toBBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme, First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that "people are really stunned and tears have been shed for this beautiful family".

The Sinn Féin vice president urged anyone who does not feel safe in their home to "please reach out and seek support and advice".

"We need to mobilise the whole of society and the whole of government to work together to ensure that we do everything that we can to try to minimise what is violence against women and girls," she said.

"I think that we have started that work but we need to come at it from every angle."

The Drummeer Road in Maguiresbridge remains closed this morning.

One note reads: "Thanks for being such a good friend, Sara."

Another reads: "Thanks for always making the whole class laugh, James. School won't be the same without you and Sara."

Another says: "You should still be here."

Also placed at the scene is a pink soft toy in a sparkly dress and an Arsenal football top, in painful memory of the two children murdered in their home.

Ms Whyte was originally from Barefield, County Clare, in the Republic of Ireland.

At the time of her death she was employed by Stormont's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).

She had previouslyworked at Lakeland Vets in Derrygonnelly, County Fermanaghwhere she was described as "an enthusiastic, hard-working colleague" who was devoted to her children.

James and Sara were pupils at Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.

A support facility for pupils, parents and staff will be open from 09:30 BST at the school's Cooper Crescent site on Friday.

In a statement on Thursday, the Western Trust said it is "deeply saddened" by the events in Maguiresbridge.

The trust said it is working closely with the Education Authority and local community groups which will be supporting children that may be affected by the incident.

Defenders of the Rock has cancelled its annual band parade in nearby Lisbellaw on Saturday, in light of the incident.

"There will be other days to parade, but in these days of mourning, respect must come first," organisers said.

The shooting happened in a rural area about 75 miles (121km) west of Belfast and about eight miles from the county's largest town, Enniskillen.

Two of the victims were declared dead at the scene on Wednesday morning and a third died later in hospital.

A suspected triple murder and attempted suicide was one line of inquiry for detectives, they said on Wednesday.

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