Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
EXECUTED
Dad assassinated outside school by lone gunman as he waited for son
POLICE are hunting the gunman behind a “gangland-style execution” of a dad outside his son’s school yesterday.
Jim Donegan, in his 40s, was waiting at St Mary’s Christian Brother’s Grammar on the Glen Road in West Belfast at around 3pm when he was blasted as many as five times in the face.
Detectives believe the assassin was wearing a high-vis vest when he carried out the brutal attack.
A security source said: “It was an execution in broad daylight. It was up close, personal and point blank.”
A MAN was shot dead at point-blank range in a brutal killing outside a school yesterday.
Jim Donegan, aged in his 40s, was waiting in his car to pick up his son from St Mary’s Christian Brother’s Grammar on the Glen Road in West Belfast at around 3pm when he was murdered.
He was shot as many as five times in what was branded a “gangland-style execution”.
Police are searching for a man, also in his 40s and wearing a high-vis “security” vest, who is believed to be the gunman.
A security source said: “It was an execution in broad daylight. A man shot while waiting in his car – that is for all intents and purposes a gangland-style execution.
“It was up close, personal and pointblank.
“You have to ask, ‘Was the shooter wearing that vest to blend into his surroundings?’ It’s been planned and thought through.
“The normal dissident shooting would be a hit-and-run. And would any dissident republican groups risk an own goal, not just outside a school but also at kicking out time? It’s not their style.
“This feels very Southern, like the Kinahans, and police will be ruling no one out at this stage.”
Speaking last night, PSNI Chief Supt Jonathan Roberts said detectives believe a lone gunman made off on foot and didn’t rule out dissidents as responsible.
He added: “It’s very early stages in the police investigation. Specialist detectives have been employed to carry out the investigation and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.
“The involvement of dissident republicans is absolutely an option police will keep open and it is possible dissident republicans were responsible for this murder. There would have been a large amount of children present at that time. Children, we understand, were extremely close to the incident when it happened.
“It is entirely possible a child could have been injured as a result.”
Two other schools are nearby, St Teresa’s Primary and the Christian Brothers Primary.
West Belfast Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey told the Mirror the community has been left in “total shock”.
He added: “I have spoken to an uncle of this man and the family are devastated. I’ve also spoken to parents of young children who witnessed this. We have to ensure statutory organisations
work with the schools, to see what services can be put in place for the young children who witnessed this. That could last with them for a very, very long time.”
SDLP Councillor Tim Attwood described the shooting as “madness”.
Speaking from the scene, he said: “It is absolutely sickening a gun was fired in the vicinity of both a primary and secondary school in West Belfast today.
“A number of pupils witnessed this fatality and are understandably very disturbed and frightened after this reckless act occurred nearby the school gates. There is absolutely no place for this in 2018. This madness belongs in the past and we cannot allow it to once again become our normality.
“I cannot stress enough that any information relating to this incident must be passed to the PSNI immediately.”
Alliance MLA Stephen Farry called for the shooter to be “taken off our streets”.
He said: “This was a disgusting and depraved crime, made all the more heinous by the fact it was so close to a number of schools who were getting out at the time.
“I utterly condemn this killing – those who carried it out must be taken off our streets immediately. My thoughts are with the loved ones of the deceased following this murder. We must also ensure any pupils who were in the vicinity at the time are given whatever support they need.”
A spokesman for St Mary’s Grammar School said it will be providing pupils with counselling, adding: “The thoughts and prayers of the principal and all the staff are with our pupil and his family at this very sad time.
“The school will be closed on Wednesday due to the on-going investigation and will be providing pupils with counselling and support services.”
I cannot stress enough any information relating to this must be passed to the police TIM ATTWOOD WEST BELFAST YESTERDAY