Austin Wilson
Died
:
23 March 1987
Age
:
35
Rank
:
Detective Inspector
Force
:
Royal Ulster Constabulary
Cause
:
Homicide - Bomb
Duty Status
:
On Duty
Roll of Honour Citation
Killed by a bomb detonating at the scene of a shooting he was investigating.
Following an evening psychology class at Magee College in Londonderry one of the students, a 62 year old man who worked for the Northern Ireland Prison Service, was sat in his car outside the college.
Three terrorist gunmen approached and shot him multiple times through the windscreen. Receiving reports of gunfire Police attended and sealed off the area.
Detective Inspector Austin Wilson was with Detective Sergeant Bennison at the scene. As part of their inquiries they were examining a briefcase left in the car of the murdered man.
Unbeknownst to the Detectives the briefcase had been left by the terrorists with a bomb inside. It detonated killing both DI Wilson and DS Bennison.
It was later established the murdered man was targeted to draw police officers to the scene so they could be attacked by the planting of a bomb in the briefcase.
He was stationed at Strand Road Police Station and had served in the RUC for 17 years.
He was married with two children.