POLICE IN ANTRIM have renewed their appeal for information about the death of a 42-year-old father-of-five who was shot and killed by a group of masked men in January 2015.
Brian McIlhagga, who worked as a plasterer, was beaten by the gang at a house in Riverview Park, Ballymoney just before 10.30pm on 5 January 2015. He was then shot in both legs outside the house and died at the scene.
Investigators say they believe they are close to bringing those responsible before the courts, but that the paramilitary involvement in the killing may be discouraging people with information from talking to police.
The attackers are believed to have made off along a walkway running along Riverview Park in the direction of the town’s train station.
Police say that McIlhagga was a friend of a 33-year-old woman who lived in the house. She was also assaulted by the gang. Four young children in the house at the time would have been traumatised, says Detective Chief Inspector Michael Harvey, who is leading the investigation.
“We are in no doubt that there are a number of people in the community who know the identity of those involved in Brian’s murder and I would urge them to look to their consciences.
“I ask them to place themselves in the shoes of those young children in the house that night – three of them all under the age of 13 were upstairs and there was a 13 year-old downstairs in the living room – when four masked and armed individuals came in through the front door. Brian was then viciously and brutally assaulted in the kitchen.
These young children heard his screams of terror and pain while the violent injuries were being inflicted. That is going to affect them for the rest of their lives. The 13 year-old would also have had some sight of Brian lying injured in the front garden.
“I also ask people to take into consideration the level of violence used in Brian’s murder. The injuries sustained in that initial attack would themselves have been life-changing. They then removed him from the house and shot him in both knees with a shotgun.”
DCI Harvey warned that as long as those responsible for this attack remain at large, they represent a possible threat to anyone in the north Antrim area even though it is a largely peaceful community.
“This is a very challenging and complex investigation. I believe we have identified a number of the suspects who attacked Brian and I believe we have identified a group of other individuals who were on the periphery of that attack and I would appeal to all members of the community, to anyone with any information, to come forward and help us to bridge that evidential gap, to cross that line and place those people before the courts,” he added.
People know who was involved. People know where they went afterwards. They haven’t come forward. They are protecting those killers.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact detectives at Maydown on 101 or to contact the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
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