Children passing on their way to school in Craigavon this morning goggled at the pitiful stack of floral tributes that was starting to build up in memory of Constable Stephen Carroll, who was shot in the head last night.

One of the bouquets was laid by a young policewoman, whose face was grim as she paid her respects near the spot where her 48-year-old colleague died.

Officers in white coveralls were examining a grassy bank at the end of the quiet cul-de-sac, where they think the gunman may have lain in wait. PC Carroll's silver Skoda car was covered in a blue tarpaulin and towed away for further tests.

Investigators say that it was dark when PC Carroll and a colleague pulled up on the newly built Lismore Manor development at 10.30pm last night, responding to a 999 call from a woman homeowner with two young children whose window had been put in by a gang.

Times Archive, 1979: Five soldiers killed in IRA offensive

Army speculation of a campaign lasting another ten years was confirmed by the IRA. There would never be a truce, it said

• IRA murders three soldiers in ambush, 1982

• Two soldiers killed by IRA sniper, 1977

• Policemen die in ambush, 1975

Related Links

• Factfile: dissident republican terror

• Continuity IRA claims murder of police officer

• The security trap

As a second patrol went to reassure the frightened woman, they waited quietly in their unmarked car for a few minutes, watching for movement that might suggest an ambush. They were well aware that dissident republicans have recently been targeting the security services.

Apparently hearing and seeing nothing suspicious, they got out of the car. At once two shots rang out from behind and Pc Carroll dropped to the ground, fatally wounded in the head.

Police say that one witness reported seeing a man in a light-coloured top running away from the scene.

Visiting the scene this morning Delores Kelly, the local Assembly member for the SDLP, said that the 999 phone call had been genuine. "There has never been any trouble round here. People are very bewildered about this. The vast majority just don't want it. It is in no way representative of the Irish people," she said.

She pointed out the Drumbeg housing estate 400 yards away where she said that several republican dissidents lived, flip-flopping in allegiance between the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA.

Graffiti could be seen on the walls of the estate, and Irish tricolour flags fluttered in the morning breeze.

Later, police with search warrants raided two properties on the estate, including an end-of-terrace house directly behind the scene of the killing. Forensic specialists in white overalls entered the houses as a strong force of armed police stood guard.

Few Craigavon residents were prepared to say anything to the media, in a town apparently numbed by horror. Even those whose homes overlooked the scene had heard nothing, seen nothing, knew nothing about it.

"This is absolutely horrifying. My sympathy goes out to the family of the police officer. This community does not want this," said a woman on the Drumbeg estate.

For most of the children who saw the police investigators at work it was their first taste of the violence that was once a commonplace in Northern Ireland.

"How do you explain this to children?," asked one father, who said that news of the shooting had made him want to weep. "They don't understand, but they know something's wrong and they don't want to go to school. I thought all of this was behind us."

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Oh no, Mr Darling: you have failed
• BBC survives dogfight over Kennel Club expose
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone