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January 30th, 1972 is remembered as among the most fatal – and consequential – dates throughout multiple decades of violence in the region.

Throughout the area of the incident – the images of that fateful day are visible on the walls and embedded in people's minds.

A protest demonstration was organized on a wintry, sunny afternoon in the city.

The demonstration was opposing the policy of internment – holding suspects without trial – which had been implemented after three years of violence.

Military personnel from the specialized division shot dead 13 people in the district – which was, and continues to be, a predominantly Irish nationalist area.

A specific visual became particularly iconic.

Pictures showed a clergyman, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a stained with blood fabric while attempting to defend a crowd transporting a young man, the injured teenager, who had been fatally wounded.

News camera operators recorded much footage on the day.

Documented accounts includes the priest explaining to a media representative that military personnel "appeared to shoot indiscriminately" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.

That version of events was rejected by the original examination.

The initial inquiry found the Army had been fired upon initially.

In the resolution efforts, the ruling party commissioned another inquiry, in response to advocacy by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a cover-up.

During 2010, the findings by Lord Saville said that on balance, the soldiers had initiated shooting and that not one of the victims had been armed.

The contemporary head of state, the Prime Minister, apologised in the House of Commons – stating killings were "unjustified and unjustifiable."

The police commenced investigate the events.

One former paratrooper, identified as the accused, was brought to trial for killing.

Accusations were made over the killings of James Wray, in his twenties, and 26-year-old the second individual.

Soldier F was further implicated of seeking to harm several people, other civilians, more people, another person, and an unnamed civilian.

There is a judicial decision maintaining the veteran's identity protection, which his lawyers have maintained is necessary because he is at risk of attack.

He stated to the Saville Inquiry that he had only fired at persons who were possessing firearms.

This assertion was dismissed in the official findings.

Information from the examination could not be used straightforwardly as evidence in the criminal process.

During the trial, the defendant was screened from view using a protective barrier.

He made statements for the first time in the proceedings at a session in December 2024, to respond "not guilty" when the charges were presented.

Kin of the deceased on that day journeyed from Londonderry to the courthouse every day of the proceedings.

A family member, whose brother Michael was killed, said they were aware that attending the trial would be painful.

"I remember everything in my memory," John said, as we visited the main locations mentioned in the proceedings – from the street, where the victim was fatally wounded, to the nearby the area, where the individual and William McKinney were killed.

"It returns me to where I was that day.

"I assisted with the victim and place him in the ambulance.

"I relived each detail during the testimony.

"Notwithstanding having to go through all that – it's still valuable for me."