THE family of a man shot dead as he sat in the living room of his home in north Belfast almost 50 years ago has welcomed an appeal by the Police Ombudsman for fresh information.
The ombudsman's office is investigating the deaths of four people during the early hours of August 15 1969 following a night of heavy rioting in the city.
Among the cases is that of Samuel McLarnon (28) in Ardoyne as well as the first child to be killed in the Troubles, nine-year-old Patrick Rooney, who was shot dead in his home in the Divis area of west Belfast.
Despite the passage of time, a spokesman for the ombudsman said they could not assume no new information will come to light.
The deaths previously formed part of the considerations of the Scarman Tribunal which was set up to examine the 1969 disturbances.
The ombudsman's office has also appealed for information about the death of Michael Lynch (28) in the Elmfield/Butler Street area of Ardoyne as he crossed a street during rioting, and that Hugh McCabe, a 20-year-old soldier who was on home leave at the Whitehall block of flats in the Divis complex.
The four killings were referred to the office by the now defunct police Historical Enquiries Team.
The McLarnon family's solicitor Padraig Ó Muirigh said they hoped the new appeal would result in further witnesses coming forward.
"Although his death occurred over 40 years ago, determining the facts and circumstances of his death remain relevant and important today as a result of the failure of the state to properly determine the facts and circumstances of his death," Mr Ó Muirigh said.
