On 6 September 1971 Annette McGavigan, was shot and killed by British army troops. The identity of the regiment and the soldier who shot Annette has never been confirmed. All that is known is that soldier 'B' and soldier 'C' opened fire during the incident.
There was rioting going on in and around the Little Diamond, at the edge of the Bogside. British soldiers were positioned in the grounds of the old post office. During the rioting, two nail bombs were thrown at the soldiers. They replied by opening fire into a crowd of young people, mainly girls. Annette was in the crowd; she was hit by a bullet in the back of the head and died instantly.
The soldiers claimed that there was a gun battle, eyewitnesses refuted this.
There is no evidence of a proper investigation by the RUC into her death. The soldiers' version of events went unchallenged because their statements were taken by the Royal Military Police. No soldiers have ever been prosecuted with her killing.
Annette was 14 years old.