Man shot dead in busy West Belfast social club

There was a heavy police presence at the football club after the shooting

A man has been shot dead in a busy social club in West Belfast.

Two masked gunmen are believed to have entered the club and at least one opened fire with a hand gun, local media reported.

The gunmen then walked from the club and left the car park on foot, according to the Belfast Telegraph.

Police rushed to the scene of the social club of Donegal Celtic Football Club in Suffolk Road on Sunday afternoon.

It is understood that the club was busy with people watching football on TV when the shooting took place.

PSNI detectives arrive at the scene following a shooting at the clubhouse of Donegal Celtic Football Club (PA)

Ambulances, police cars and a PSNI helicopter were all at the social club, with police cordons put up round the area.

Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast, Paul Maskey, said that the community was in shock after the attack.

“There’s total shock in this community today with the offence that happened in Donegal Celtic,” he said at the scene.

“I condemn those responsible. There is no place for guns on our streets,” he said.

Local MP Paul Maskey condemned the attack, saying the community was in shock (PA)

Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister said that “sickening attack” had “left the entire city shocked, particularly as it took place in the middle of the afternoon in public.”

SDLP councillor Brian Heading added: “People in this community want to be able to live their lives in peace and this shooting in broad daylight in a busy establishment must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all.”

The shooting reportedly took place in public (PA)

Mr Maskey added: “My thoughts and sympathies are with this man’s family. I personally don’t know the victim but what I do know is that there’s a family there and our thoughts and our sympathies are with this man’s family at this stage.

“Obviously they’re grieving at this particular stage and they’ll be looking for assistance from the community as well.”