Police believe INLA behind Jim Donegan murder

Police have released CCTV footage which they believe is the gunman waiting for his victim outside his son's school five days before he was shot dead.

The footage has been featured on a BBC Crimewatch appeal on the murder investigation into west Belfast man Jim Donegan on Thursday.

It shows the alleged killer spent twenty minutes standing outside the same school on the Glen Road where Mr Donegan was targeted days later. Police believe this was a first attempt to kill Mr Donegan.

The 43-year-old was sitting in his car when he was shot eight times by a lone gunman on Tuesday 4 December 2018.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery also revealed that he believes the killing is linked to dissident republican group the INLA.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy described Mr Donegan’s shooting as a “cold-blooded execution”.

He also described the response from the public as “extremely positive”, adding it was a civilian who provided the new dashcam footage.

DCI Montgomery appealed for the public's help to remove the "dangerous" gunman from the streets. An e-fit has already been circulated as part of the investigation.

Mr Donegan was gunned down on 4 December last year as he waited outside St Mary's Grammar School and Christian Brothers School on the Glen Road in west Belfast.

He was sitting in his luxury car waiting to pick up his son from school, who missed his father’s murder by just seconds.

Police are urging anyone with information to call the non-emergency line on 101.