Man charged with attempted murder of off-duty PSNI officer

A 29-year-old man appeared in court accused of attempting to murder an off-duty police officer in Newtownabbey, near Belfast, earlier this week.

Kyle Knell, a resident of Tynan Drive in Newtownabbey, faces nine charges related to the incident on Monday. Police responded to reports from the Beverley Drive area, where the officer was shot with what is believed to have been his own service weapon. Authorities later confirmed that the shooting was not connected to terrorism.

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is investigating the use of the police-issued firearm.

In addition to the attempted murder charge, Knell is accused of unlawfully imprisoning another man, assaulting both the man and a woman, stealing the officer’s firearm and ammunition, possessing the weapon while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and trespassing.

The charges involve multiple locations within the same neighborhood.

During the court proceedings, a detective sergeant stated that he could link Knell to the alleged offenses. The defense solicitor asked the officer to confirm that the incident was not a targeted or premeditated shooting, to which the detective agreed.

The court granted a reporting restriction to protect the identity of the injured officer, citing his vulnerability after the widely publicized incident.

Knell has been remanded in custody pending further proceedings.