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MoD apologises 40 years after shooting (UTV News)
The Ministry of Defence has apologised to the family of Billy McKavanagh, who was shot in the back by soldiers in Belfast in August 1971.
The 21-year-old was killed in the Markets area of the city and his brother and cousin were seriously assaulted while in custody.
A Historical Enquiries Team report released in August stated that Mr McKavanagh was running away from soldiers when he was shot.
The soldier responsible maintains that the person he shot was armed, but the HET said Mr McKavanagh was not carrying a weapon, but a rivet gun which had been looted and left lying in the street was picked up by members of his group.
In a letter to the McKavanagh family, the MoD has described Billy’s death as “a tragedy”.
“The government accepts that Billy McKavanagh was not a terrorist and that his death was a tragedy,” stated the letter, which was written on behalf of the defence secretary, Philip Hammond, and the Secretary of State, Owen Paterson.
“It also accepts the evidence that his brother and cousin were mistreated after being taken into custody. I know that nothing I can say will ease the sorrow you feel for what has happened but I hope that the [HET’s] findings and the government’s acceptance of them will be of value in setting the record straight on these tragic events.”
The McKavanagh family said: “It has taken 40 years but we are glad that we persevered and didn’t give up. This struggle was worth it though it is sad that Billy’s parents and brother Pat did not live to see his name cleared and the truth told.
“We are particularly relieved that British government ministers have admitted for the first time the barbaric treatment to which Pat and Teddy Rooney were subjected to in the hours after the shooting.”

Related articles

• MOD apologises 40 years after fatal shooting of Billy McKavanagh (guardian.co.uk)
• Army killed innocent man: Report (bbc.co.uk)
• Man shot by Army was innocent (independent.co.uk)