The three teenagers who died in the Greenvale Hotel tragedy in Cookstown have been named as 16-year-old Connor Currie from the Dungannon area, 17-year-old Lauren Bullock from the Donaghmore area and 17-year-old Morgan Barnard, also from the Dungannon area.
A PSNI Major Investigation Team (MIT) has now been appointed to investigate the deaths.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said his heartfelt sympathy is with the family and friends the young people who tragically lost their lives last night and all of those who were there and who may be suffering today.
“A major investigation is underway and I can confirm that a specialist team of detectives has now been assigned to the enquiry.
“They will seek to establish the full circumstances of this dreadful incident. This will be an extensive investigation with potentially hundreds of witnesses, many of whom are teenagers. The community will understand that this investigation will rightly be painstaking and detailed,” he said.
He said police will proceed in a sensitive manner and their enquiries are likely to take some time to complete. And he is urging young people who were at the Greenvale last night to get in touch with detectives.
“I can understand that there may be some reluctance to contact police if you are underage, but please do not be concerned. We are investigating the deaths of three young people, young people just like you. That is our focus. We want to be able to give their families answers and your recollection of the events as they unfolded is crucial,” added the Assistant Chief Constable.
Detectives can be contacted at the dedicated incident room at Dungannon police station by calling 101, extension 53055. Anyone with any images or footage can pass it to police via the following link: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI19O08-PO1.