Dying man 'crawled towards me'

Inquiry is compiling evidence from hundreds of witnesses

A witness to the Bloody Sunday shootings in Londonderry has recalled how a dying man called out and crawled towards him after being shot.

Gerard Greeve was giving evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry which is investigating the events of 30 January 1972 when paratroopers opened fire on civil rights marchers in Derry killing 13 men. Another man died later.

Mr Greeve also told the inquiry on Tuesday that gunfire hit a doorway of the Rossville Flats in the Bogside as he was dragging the man, 17-year-old Kevin McElhinney, through it.

Mr Greeve, who was 16 on Bloody Sunday, earlier described running from the rubble barricade across Rossville Street into Block 1 of the flats during a lull in shooting.

I could hear him calling to me and I knew that he had been shot

Gerard Greeve

He said he got inside as a soldier in a firing position was aiming his gun at him.

Mr Greeve said he could not see the youth who had been behind him.

But he added: "I could, however, hear him calling to me and I knew that he had been shot.

"I was about to go outside to tend to him when I heard a fellow who was on the other side of Rossville Street shout: Get down.

I pulled him into the flats. As I did more shots rang out and a bullet hit the doorway

Gerard Greeve

"I got down on the floor and remained there for a few seconds until the shooting stopped. I then got up and looked round the doorway.

"I saw the fellow. He was still alive and was crawling towards me. I remember that he was talking to me but I cannot remember what he was saying.

"I pulled him into the flats. As I did more shots rang out and a bullet hit the doorway."

Mr Greeve was testifying on day 147 of the public hearing of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

Another witness, James Norris, gave a different account of Mr McElhinney's final moments claiming that he "crashed through the doors as if in full flight" when he was shot.

Mr Norris, who was a Knight of Malta volunteer first aider on Bloody Sunday, said in written evidence: "I moved forward to catch him and I can see it today as if it happened a minute ago. I lowered him to the ground and he was twitching. He was in shock.

Soldiers' wait continues

"I couldn't see any signs of bleeding until I opened his jacket; his left side was covered in blood."

Asked by junior counsel to the Inquiry Cathryn McGahey if he has any recollection of Mr McElhinney dragging himself to the door, Mr Norris replied: "No."

Meanwhile, lawyers acting for soldiers who are to give evidence at the inquiry are still waiting to hear if they will be granted a judicial review of the tribunal's decision that they must travel to Derry.

The soldiers, who fired shots on that day, say they will be in danger if they have to come to the city to give evidence.

The Inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville of Newdigate, was established in 1998 and started taking oral evidence in March 2000.