'Investigative Failures' By Police Found Over Four Deaths Significant operational and investigative failures by the police over the deaths of four people during severe disorder in Belfast in August 1969 have been found, according to the Police Ombudsman. In a 128-page report published , Marie Anderson concluded that nine-year-old Patrick Rooney, Hugh McCabe aged 20, Samuel McLarnon aged 27, and 28-year-old Michael Lynch, died after being struck by police gunfire during disturbances in the Divis and Ardoyne areas of the city. The report found that even allowing for the tumultuous circumstances of the time, the RUC failed to effectively investigate any of the deaths.