LAST UPDATE | 4 Apr 2020

A MAN SHOT dead in Belfast today is understood to have been a suspect in the murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods earlier this year. 

Police in Northern Ireland said the man was shot a number of times at close range outside a house in north Belfast this morning. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have launched a murder investigation.

The PSNI have arrested three men on suspicion of murder following the fatal shooting.

The incident happened at Etna Drive at around 11.50am. 

Seventeen-year-old Mulready-Woods was killed and his body dismembered in January.

Some of his remains were found in a hold-all bag in Dublin and others in a burning car two days later. 

His murder is believed to be connected to an ongoing criminal feud in Drogheda, Co Louth.

A PSNI spokesman said the three men arrested following today’s shooting have been taken to Musgrave Police Station, where they are currently being questioned.

PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said that while it is too early to speculate on the motive of the killing, he can confirm that police are following a number of lines of inquiry in relation to the investigation. 

A light coloured car – registration YLZ 7052 – was found burned out in nearby Kingston Court. 

Police are currently seeking to establish what relevance the car has to their investigation. 

Murphy is seeking to hear from anyone who saw the car and its occupants either before 11.50am in the Etna Drive area or after the murder had taken place. 

He is also appealing for information about a dark coloured vehicle which was seen in Ardoyne Avenue minutes after the car had been set on fire. 

“This was a brutal killing,” Murphy said. 

“I am astounded by the recklessness of the killer or killers. Not only did they carry out this callous murder leaving a family experiencing their worst nightmare, but they did not care that children and other members of this north Belfast community were placed at risk,” Murphy said. 

Murder is a heinous crime and killing someone during this global coronavirus pandemic is sickening when people are trying to adjust to living a new way and trying to cope with the pressures this brings. 

Murphy added that “those involved in this murder selfishly gave no thought to the impact on frontline emergency services who are already working hard to keep people safe with an already stretched resource”.

Police are also appealing to anyone who has information in relation to the murder to come forward. 

“I am aware the area was busy with pedestrians and people out in their front gardens, so I am asking anyone who may have captured any footage of the incident to place make that available to us also,” Murphy said. 

The investigation team can be contacted by calling 101, quoting reference 562 04/04/20.

- With reporting from Garreth MacNamee, PA