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West Belfast: Man shot dead on Springfield Road | West Belfast: Man shot dead on Springfield Road |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man, believed to be a prominent dissident republican, has been shot dead in west Belfast. | |
The shooting happened at a fuel depot off the Springfield Road and it is understood the victim was shot several times in a commercial yard. | |
A red BMW car was later found on fire at Beechmount Grove close to the scene of the attack. | A red BMW car was later found on fire at Beechmount Grove close to the scene of the attack. |
The attack happened late on Friday afternoon when the area was busy with people. | |
A section of the Springfield Road, between the Falls Road and Elswick Street, has been closed to traffic. | |
Colin Keenan, a councillor for the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said it was a horrific scene, with the dead man lying in the grounds of the industrial estate and exposed to view from surrounding residents' windows. | Colin Keenan, a councillor for the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said it was a horrific scene, with the dead man lying in the grounds of the industrial estate and exposed to view from surrounding residents' windows. |
Relatives at the scene are devastated, he added. | Relatives at the scene are devastated, he added. |
A local priest gave the last rites. | |
'Sense of shock' | |
Mr Keenan said: "I condemn this murder completely and in doing so I reflect the view of all of the community. | Mr Keenan said: "I condemn this murder completely and in doing so I reflect the view of all of the community. |
"There is a real sense of shock that this has happened. | "There is a real sense of shock that this has happened. |
"We have long hoped that the shadow of death had been lifted from west Belfast. | "We have long hoped that the shadow of death had been lifted from west Belfast. |
"Today's event is a terrible, tragic reminder of the violent conflict of the past." | "Today's event is a terrible, tragic reminder of the violent conflict of the past." |
Jim McVeigh, a Sinn Féin councillor for the area, called those responsible "thugs and criminals". | Jim McVeigh, a Sinn Féin councillor for the area, called those responsible "thugs and criminals". |
David Ford, Northern Ireland's justice minister, said the murder should be condemned by all. | |
Mr Ford said: "I condemn this appalling crime and offer my sympathies to the family. | |
"Those responsible for this cowardly act will be pursued by the authorities and I would urge anyone with information to pass it to the police." | |
A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: "Police are investigating a fatal shooting in the Springfield Road area of west Belfast this afternoon. | A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: "Police are investigating a fatal shooting in the Springfield Road area of west Belfast this afternoon. |
"One man has been shot dead in the vicinity of the Peter Pan centre." | "One man has been shot dead in the vicinity of the Peter Pan centre." |