Police continue to question two men over the murder of a children's nurse in Banbridge, County Down.
Karen Cummings, 40, was found unconscious with a serious head injury in Laurel Heights on Saturday evening. She died at the scene of the accident.
Police described the incident as a “brutal and senseless murder.”
The mother-of-two worked at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and colleagues were among those who visited the scene on Monday to pay floral tributes.
A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday.
A second man, aged in his 30s, was also arrested on suspicion of murder in the Banbridge area on Sunday.
Supt Brendan Green said on Sunday: “Our thoughts are with Ms Cummings' family and friends who are struggling to come to terms with what happened and they have our full sympathy at this time.”
“Please be assured that our officers will do everything in their power to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and we would urge the public not to speculate.”
A bouquet of flowers was left at the police line by someone who said he did not know Ms Cummings well but that she had recently been caring for one of her family members in hospital and was full of “jump” at the station.
They said they couldn't believe what happened to her.
Women's Aid expressed its “deepest condolences” and stressed that Ms Cummings was the “25th”. woman killed in Northern Ireland since 2020” and the seventh this year.
It continues: “The number of femicides continues to rise here and elsewhere. Women are often most at risk at home. This has to stop. We will continue to fight for a world free of gender-based violence.”
“Tragic and brutal”
Politicians in the area have urged anyone with information to contact police.
Carla Lockhart, MP for Upper Bann, said her thoughts were with the Cummings family following the “tragic and brutal” murder.
Speaking to BBC's Good Morning Ulster, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician urged people not to speculate about the murder and to give police “time and space” to conduct their investigation.
She added that there would be an increased police presence in Banbridge to “restore community confidence”.
Lockhart said: “As political representatives and as a society, we need to stop just talking about it.” [violence against women] and act”.
She called for more police officers and tougher punishments.
