A car which police believe was used in the attack was found on fire near farmland on the Racolpa Road, outside Omagh.

Officers described it as a small, dark coloured vehicle.

Police remain at the scene.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has paid tribute to the off-duty police officer who was shot multiple times by masked men in Omagh, County Tyrone, last night.

Det Ch Insp John Caldwell is in a critical but stable condition at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry.

An Garda Síochána ((Irish police force) says it has "intensified patrolling in border counties" in response to the shooting in Omagh last night.

It said in a statement it was working closely with the PSNI to help apprehend the gunmen.

On Thursday morning the PSNI continued to cordon off the scene of the attack.

The terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland was lowered from severe to substantial for the first time in 12 years in March 2022.

The shooting of Det Ch Insp Caldwell has been condemned by politicians across the UK and Ireland, with DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson describing the gunmen as "terrorists" who must be "brought to justice".

The decision to lower the threat level was taken by MI5 after assessing a wide range of information, independently of ministers.

Since 2010 it had been severe, meaning an attack, or attacks, were highly likely. It is now substantial, meaning attacks are likely.

The former NI secretary Brandon Lewis said at the time it showed the significant progress that had been made, but added there was still a "minority who wish to cause harm in Northern Ireland".

Julian O'Neill
NI Home Affairs Correspondent

I understand Det Ch Insp John Caldwell had received a number of threats in the past and was therefore aware that his investigations relating to dissident republican attacks made him a high-profile target.

These investigations include the 2011 murder of police officer Ronan Kerr, who was killed in a car bomb, and the 2019 killing of journalist Lyra McKee.

Jayne McCormack
NI political correspondent

There has not been much to unite politicians in Northern Ireland of late but on this they will be determined to display a united front.

The publication of a joint statement, which does not often happen here, is a sign of how seriously the main parties are treating the attack.

They know people will be looking to them to provide leadership in what is clearly another difficult moment for Northern Ireland.

Soon questions will shift to what more our politicians could be doing to help end this kind of criminal behaviour - but perhaps not today.

For the moment all political efforts will be focused on providing support and a voice to the police, the community in Omagh and the wider public.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has described the shooting of Det Ch Insp Caldwell as a "cowardly and callous attack".

"A very senior and well known local police officer is now in critical condition in hospital," he says, adding that he hopes the officer recovers from his injuries and that the perpetrators are caught.

Asked whether he was concerned about the safety of PSNI officers in light of the shooting, he says: "They are completely professional and know exactly what they're doing to police the communities of Northern Ireland effectively."

"But this is a really significant event, it's a very serious event and it's difficult to underline how cowardly these people are."

A former police ombudsman for Northern Ireland has added her voice to the chorus of people condemning the shooting of John Caldwell, calling it "an awful crime".

Baroness Nuala O'Loan said it was terrible to think that the "serenity" in Omagh" has been "shattered again".

"It's such an awful crime, such an awful crime," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"This officer was actually making an important contribution to society. He was going out after his policing, and he was enabling and encouraging young children.

The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, says the shooting is a "stark reminder" of the dangers facing police officers in Northern Ireland.

"I will take this opportunity to remind my colleagues to take stock and reassess their own security and activities both on and off duty.

"We have a quite junior service at present and they would have no real experience off this sort of incident and hopefully this is not the start of concerted campaign of our officers being targeted in such a callous and cowardly way."

If you're just joining us, here's what we know so far in the shooting of an off-duty police officer in Omagh, County Tyrone:

• Det Ch Insp John Caldwell was shot in front of his son while putting footballs in the back of his car
• Two masked gunmen shot Caldwell multiple times outside a sports complex where he had been coaching young people at football
• Caldwell ran a short distance after he was shot before falling and being shot again
• Police said the gunmen made off in a small, dark car, which was found burnt out at Racolpa Road, outside Omagh
• A "brave member of the public" ran towards Caldwell during the attack and administered first aid, police said
• A senior police officer condemned the "absolute callous nature of this attack" in a crowded space where there were children and parents
• Police saw many young people and children running "in sheer terror" to get to safety

Julian O'Neill
NI Home Affairs Correspondent

It is no surprise to learn the chief suspects in the attack are the New IRA.

After years on the backfoot, the organisation re-emerged with a bomb attack on a police patrol in Strabane last November.

The attack on John Caldwell is the most serious incident involving the targeting of an officer for many years.

You probably need to go back to 2011 and the murder of Ronan Kerr for anything comparable.

Last night will be seen not only as an attack on a police officer, but an officer who has been directly involved in investigating dissident republicans.

About a year ago, on the advice of MI5, the security threat level was down-graded for the first time in over a decade.

In that context, the shock being felt within the PSNI today will likely be magnified.

Stormont's main parties have issued a joint statement following the attempted murder of Det Ch Insp John Caldwell:

“We extend our heartfelt solidarity to DCI John Caldwell and his family after yesterday evening’s cowardly gun attack which has left him critically injured.

Our thoughts are with John and his family and we wish him a full recovery.

We stand united in our outright condemnation of this attack after he was shot in Omagh, County Tyrone, yesterday evening in front of his son and other children and young people at a sports facility.

We speak for the overwhelming majority of people right across our community who are outraged and sickened by this reprehensible and callous attempted murder."

Image source, Getty Images

The statement continues: "The community of Omagh has endured profound suffering, loss, and pain in the past which has left a deep trauma, and so this act of violence has left people there rightly angered.

There is absolutely no tolerance for such attacks by the enemies of our peace.

Those responsible must be brought to justice.

This will require the full co-operation of the public whom we call upon to assist police in this attempted murder investigation.

Together we stand with John’s family and his colleagues in the police service at this time.”

The statement was signed by Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin), Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP), Naomi Long (Alliance Party), Doug Beattie (UUP) and Colum Eastwood (SDLP).

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins has tweeted to say the shooting should be condemned by "all those who believe in democracy and the peace that we all need to sustain".

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long says the shooting is an attack on the people of Omagh and that those responsible should feel the full force of the law.

The former Stormont justice minister says what happened would have ripples across the police service for both serving and former officers who would be reviewing their own security.

“It is utterly traumatising,” she explained.

“I know people who serve in the police, I know their families and I know how impactful what happened last night has been on each of them."

The PSNI say they believe the gunmen made off in a small black car that was later found burned out at Racolpa Road, just outside Omagh.

Police are appealing for any information in relation to the vehicle.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald says what has happened in Omagh is “absolutely diabolical”.

“We are not going back to the bad, old days," she tells Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

"The only way for every community in Ireland now is forward and people have a perfect right to expect that they can move around their communities safely."

Image source, PA Media

Ms McDonald added she hopes there is “an all-Ireland response” to finding a motive and apprehending the perpetrators of this attack.

“Whatever the motive, if it were dissident republicanism… it is utterly unacceptable to all of us, to all political persuasions or none”.

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry tells BBC Radio Foyle he is shocked by the callousness of the attack.

“All of us are absolutely stunned at the wickedness of this. Let’s nail it for what it is, this is evil, an evil attack," Rev Andrew Forster says.

“Children around a man who is out to make sure you and I are kept safe and who is gunned down.

“It is appalling,” he continues.

The Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar condemns the shooting as a “grotesque act of attempted murder”.

"Our thoughts are with the injured officer, his family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time," he continues.

"I call on anyone with information about it to share it with the PSNI”.

Some pupils from Omagh High School were at the sports complex at the time of the shooting.

Principal Christos Gaitatzis said that he was "sickened to the stomach" by the news.

"I think those people affected here last night were my children, were my family and the only thing I have to say is that we really need to get together as a community in order to make sure that these types of incidents have to be pushed away."

Mr Gaitatzis says that he has been in touch with other schools and the Education Authority to ensure support is in place.

"We need to try to get the kids who are directly affected last night to a room together so we can reassure them of the support that is available.

"We know that some will manifest the shock in completely different ways, the kids will be coming extremely quiet, some of them will be crying like they did last night."

The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, describes the shooting as “absolutely barbaric”.

“Initially my thoughts are with John, his family and his colleagues,” he tells BBC News NI.

Mr Kelly said the detective chief inspector has investigated serious crimes and is “committed to improving society”.

“Unfortunately this is a stark reminder for our colleagues that 25 years on from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement that policing in Northern Ireland is still a very dangerous occupation and it carries extreme risk both on and off duty," he continues.

“Clearly these people had done some research into what John was doing, particularly in the off-duty capacity, and they have taken advantage of the fact that he is out there volunteering with young people and have used that forum to try and murder him, which is an absolute disgrace."