Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service has said there is sufficient evidence to charge one former Paratrooper with the murders of two men and the attempted murders of four others over the events of Bloody Sunday.
The decision was announced by Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service after relatives of the 13 men had marched together through the streets of Derry where the victims fell
There is insufficient evidence to prosecute any other former British soldiers or alleged members of the Official IRA over the events of Bloody Sunday.
The Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, Stephen Herron, said: “It has been concluded that there is sufficient available evidence to prosecute one former soldier, Soldier F, for the murder of James Wray and William McKinney; and for the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O’Donnell.
“In respect of the other 18 suspects, including 16 former soldiers and two alleged Official IRA members, it has been concluded that the available evidence is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.”
The ex-serviceman has not been named and will only be identified Soldier F
The inquiry found the killings were “unjustified” and that none of the 14 dead was carrying a gun, no warnings were given, no soldiers were under threat and the troops were the first to open fire.
READ MORE: Neil Mackay: Why the courts must now have their say on Bloody Sunday
Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, said in the wake of the decision that how the Government deals with the 'legacy' of historic allegations needed urgently reviewing.
"Armed forces personnel cannot live in constant fear of prosecution,” he said.
Families of people killed on Bloody Sunday have said they are "not finished yet" after prosecutors announced that only one former paratrooper is to be prosecuted over the shootings.
The veteran, known as Soldier F, will face charges for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney and the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O'Donnell in Londonderry in 1972.
Sixteen other former soldiers and two suspected ex-members of the Official IRA, all of whom were also investigated as part of a major police murder probe, will not face prosecution, the Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service said.
As families of the victims gathered to give their reaction in Derry's Guildhall John Kelly, whose 17-year-old brother Michael was killed, said many had received a "terrible disappointment".
But he welcomed the positive news for the six families impacted by the decision to prosecute soldier F.
"Their victory is our victory," he said.
READ MORE: Bloody Sunday soldiers could face prosecution over killings
"We have walked a long journey since our fathers and brothers were brutally slaughtered on the streets of Derry on Bloody Sunday, over that passage of time all the parents of the deceased have died - we are here to take their place."
Mr Kelly highlighted there were legal means of challenging the decisions not to prosecute.
"The Bloody Sunday families are not finished yet," he said.
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