The funeral has taken place of Gavin Brett, the 18-year-old Protestant youth shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries in Glengormley on Sunday. Hundreds of mourners from both sides of the community in the North attended the funeral in the village.
The murder has been blamed on the outlawed Ulster Defence Association. It is understood his killers thought their victim was a Catholic.
The Church of Ireland rector, the Reverend Nigel Baylor, told those attending that the killers had brought shame on the name of Protestantism. "They represent the evil, wasteful, path which is dead and useless to us all," he said.
Mr Baylor, accompanied by Catholic priest Father Daniel White, earlier beckoned a group of youths outside the Church of the Holy Evangelist in Carnmoney to come inside. He said that they had as much right as anyone else to be there. Among the group was one of Mr Brett's Catholic friends who was also shot in the attack.
The Red Hand Defenders, a Loyalist group believed to be a cover name for the UDA and LVF, have claimed responsibility for the murder of Mr Brett. He had been standing with a group of Catholic friends near the entrance to a GAA club at Hightown Road in Glengormley. Police believe that he was shot in the belief that he was also a Catholic.
In the wake of the attack, the Church of Ireland Primate has appealed to the politicians to move the process forward. Archbishop Robin Eames warned that the price of failure would be the loss of further lives.
Several hundred people from both sides of the community gathered for a candlelight vigil last night at the spot where he was killed. Gavin's father Michael, who is a paramedic, said that the vigil was the start of a "healing process" for the family.
