The death of a 71-year-old man after a car crashed through a petrol station shop window in County Tyrone has "shocked" the local community, a councillor has said.
Gerard Rafferty, known as Jock, died a short time after emergency services attended the scene in Clonoe on Wednesday.
BBC News NI understands he was outside the shop when he was struck by the car.
Councillor Malachy Quinn said the victim was a "character" who was from a family who were very well known and well thought of in the area.
"I think yesterday was just a shocking moment for everybody," Quinn told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
"It's really hit the community badly."
Police said they received a report of the incident in the Moor Road area of the village at about 12:20 GMT.
One emergency ambulance attended along with the Charity Air Ambulance, with Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) on board.
Quinn, from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) visited the scene shortly after the crash.
"I know some of the staff that work in the shop and I know how devastated they are, I think it's probably one of the worst experiences of their lives," he said.
"Unfortunately this morning we have a local family that are in mourning, something that they certainly didn't expect to happen."
Quinn said he knew the the victim and described him as "a character" who originally came from Maghery but later moved to Coalisland.
He added that the Rafferty family were well known throughout the community and "very well thought of and held in high regard".
The councillor said local residents would be very willing to help the bereaved family in the days to come.
Sinn Féin MLA for Mid Ulster, Linda Dillon, said: "This is a member of our community, it is somebody who people know and love and care deeply about.
"The family are well known, they are very much a loved family in this community and I know the community will be heartbroken for them."
She added: "This is a very close tight-knit community and I know that the community will rally round all those involved."
Police are appealing to witnesses to contact them.
Gerard Rafferty, 71, died a short time after emergency services attended the scene in Clonoe.
It follows last month's arrest of a former officer on suspicion of several sexual offences.
The man, aged in his 30s, is said to have been shot once in each leg.
Windows were smashed and the front door of a house in the Waterside was daubed with paint on Monday.
The attack happened in a carpark in the Glenview Drive area of Limavady on Monday morning.
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