THREE MEN REMAIN in custody in the North today following the fatal shooting of a man in Belfast on Saturday. 

Two men, aged 33 and 30, along with a 17-year-old male remain in custody this morning, while a 27-year-old was released. 

A police statement said: “The PSNI this morning confirms that a 27-year-old who was arrested by detectives investigating the murder of a man in Etna Drive in north Belfast on Saturday morning, has been released unconditionally.”

The PSNI said it believes the man who was shot in the Ardoyne area of Belfast may be 36-year-old Robbie Lawlor from Coolock in Dublin. 

Over the weekend, Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said formal identification had not yet taken place, but there is “sufficient information” for them to believe Lawlor is the deceased man.

“At this stage, I believe that a single gunman was involved in the killing, firing multiple shots at the victim and striking him a number of times. The murder weapon has not yet been recovered,” he said. 

Lawlor was a suspect in the murder of teenager Keane Mulready Woods.

Lawlor – who was in his 30s – had dozens of previous convictions and it’s understood he had been warned by gardaí that his life was in danger. 

Two properties, one in west Belfast and one in Crumlin, were searched as part of the murder inquiry. 

“I do not believe that Robbie was in the Ardoyne yesterday by accident,” Murphy said. “I believe he had some reason to be there and key lines of enquiry for me at this stage are to establish why he was there and what his connection to the address is.”

Murphy appealed to the public for help in bringing the gunman to justice. He said police are looking to hear from anyone who was in Etna Drive on Saturday between 11am and 12.30pm and who may have witnessed the shooting or the gunman escaping. 

Anyone with CCTV, dash cam or phone footage recorded in the area of Etna Drive and Kingston Court is asked to make it available to the PSNI investigative team. 

This footage can be uploaded to the Major Incident Public Portal online. 

It’s understood gardaí are liaising with the PSNI in relation to the investigation into Lawlor’s murder. 

With reporting from Garreth MacNamee and Sean Murray