Man dead after north Belfast shooting
Last updated 3rd Feb 2021
A PSNI murder probe is under way after a man was shot dead in north Belfast last night (Tuesday).
Reports of up to 10 shots were fired late last night on Cliftonville Road.
Emergency services were at the scene from after 8.15.
Part of the road remains closed and a number of diversions are in place.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it dispatched one rapid response paramedic, two emergency crews and an ambulance officer to the incident.
It said that following initial assessment, all ambulance resources cleared the scene and no patients were taken from the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Montgomery said: "We received a report around 8.15 pm, that a man had been shot in the Cliftonville Road area of the city.
"Officers attended, along with colleagues from NIAS.
"Sadly, a man has been pronounced dead.''
He urged anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have information about the incident to come forward and assist police with their inquiries.In a statement, the PSNI said
Sinn Fein MLA Caral Ni Chuilin said the community was deeply shocked by the incident.
"The local community are deeply shocked by this incident," she said.
"I am appealing to any witnesses to this shooting to come forward to police and assist their investigation.''
SDLP councillor Paul McCusker described the attack as "brutal''.
"I utterly condemn the shooting of a man on the Cliftonville Road area of North Belfast,'' he said.
"This is horrific news for a family to receive and the wider community is rightly shocked.
"Those responsible for this shooting have absolutely nothing to offer our community and local residents should be allowed to live their lives without the threat of violence.
"The community does not support these actions. There is no place for violence on our streets.
"An attack of this nature is senseless and horrific at any time, but particularly in the context of a global pandemic that has left our health and emergency services under huge pressure.''
He appealed for anyone with information about the attack to contact police.