Updated at 2pm
A MURDER INVESTIGATION is under way in the North after a delivery driver in his 50s was shot dead as he sat in a car in west Belfast last night.
The man has been named as Dan Murray. The BBC reports that he was known to police and had a lengthy criminal record.
He had survived a previous shooting attack in May of last year, when he was shot in the face at his home.
The shooting happened at about 10.20pm on Lady Street and the man was pronounced dead some time later.
The attack has been condemned from across the political spectrum, with the North’s First and Deputy First Ministers Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness describing the shootings as “barbaric and wrong”.
“We unreservedly condemn the actions of the perpetrators who care only for themselves,” their joint statement said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan meanwhile condemned the shooting as “sickening”.
Such thuggish behaviour has no place on our streets.
The man’s partner, Ciara Austin, speaking to the BBC, said no-one was standing up to those behind the killing.
She said he was shot after being called out to a bogus delivery call.
“He was set-up, it is the only way they could have got him, they have tried time and time again,” she added.
The scene remains sealed off as forensic tests are carried out.
The PSNI is due to hold a press conference on the shooting at 3pm this afternoon.
First published 12.10am. Additional reporting by Rónán Duffy.
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