Óglach Colum Marks was on active services when he was shot dead by an undercover RUC unit which had been lying in wait on 10 April 1991 in Downpatrick. At the time, the RUC officers claimed they were “in great personal danger” when they saw a man running towards them who they believed to be armed. <br /><br />The officers also claimed they had shouted warnings and fired two warning shots before killing Colum Marks. The IRA Volunteer was found to be unarmed. A mortar launcher was found nearby. A eyewitness has said that on the night of the shooting he saw a man, believed to have been Colum Marks, being escorted along a street under police guard. He said it was clear the man was under arrest, and that three RUC officers were with him. That completely contradicts the police version of events.”It supports the family's claim that Colum was shot after being arrested. This was clearly a shoot-to-kill operation.
