Community 'engulfed with shock and sadness' following woman's death

A man who was arrested on suspicion of the murder of a mother of two in Londonderry on Saturday is still being questioned by police.

The woman, named locally as Amy Doherty, was found injured at a property in Summer Meadows Mews at about 10:20 GMT that day.

She died later in hospital. A 30-year-old man was arrested on Saturday.

It's understood the man fell from the Foyle Bridge on Saturday morning, prompting road closures and a search and rescue operation.

He was later rescued and arrested by police and remains in custody.

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan met with Amy's family on Sunday and said the city "has been engulfed with shock and sadness".

On Sunday, police carried out door-to-door inquiries as part of their murder investigation.

Forensic officers and detectives also spent much of the day at the property where Amy was found.

Marie Brown, chief executive of Foyle Women's Aid and the Family Justice Centre said Amy had "such a life to look forward to".

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, Brown said her heart went out to Amy Doherty's family and friends.

She said she is "concerned about the women across Northern Ireland".

"Every day our staff are working really hard to reach as many as they can but I am concerned about the rising number of homicides, and I fear we are becoming too complacent on it as well."

"There's a ripple effect right across the family and relatives, you know, that will have an impact today, so my heart goes out to them," Brown added.

"I look at Amy and just think that she had such a life to look forward to and what people forget about are the children.

"Most of the women that come through our services have children and those children will be impacted forever because the most precious thing that they have is their mother and she's not there," Brown said.

"Today is a day that Derry will mourn a young woman."

Durkan said there is a "palpable feeling of anger that a young woman has had her life so cruelly taken from her and that two children have had their mother robbed from them so brutally and so senselessly".

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, he said that Amy's family are "completely devastated".

He described how this is "such a massive loss", adding that she was "very much loved and very well liked".

Further tributes have been paid to Ms Doherty.

Her employer, NWCare, said they were "devastated to learn about the unexpected passing" and that she "was the essence of humanity, kind, compassionate and beautiful".

Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson said there was "complete shock" across the city after the suspected murder.

"A young woman's life was taken in the latest act of violence against women and girls and I appeal to anyone with information to bring it forward to the PSNI," she added.

The Deputy Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Niree McMorris from the DUP, said she is "horrified and disgusted" and it is "happening all to often".

"We need to educate young boys in schools about healthy relationships."

People in the community have been expressing their shock at the incident.

Lynzi Nicholl said that it "brings tears to my eyes".

"It is happening to much," she said.

"It's really shocking, what can you say?" Elizabeth Smithies told BBC News NI.

"A young life taken for what? It's frightening," she said.

Mary Bradley said she is "very concerned about the amount of attacks on women."

Olivia Thompson said it was "absolutely tragic" and "very upsetting".

"It seems to be happening more and more," she added.