Police name man shot dead in west Belfast on Sunday night

Police have confirmed the identity of the man shot dead at a house in west Belfast home on Sunday evening.
By Mark Rainey
Published 18th May 2020, 12:34 BST
Updated 18th May 2020, 16:48 BST
PSNI officers at the scene of a shooting in Lenadoon Avenue. Photo: Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.PSNI officers at the scene of a shooting in Lenadoon Avenue. Photo: Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
PSNI officers at the scene of a shooting in Lenadoon Avenue. Photo: Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Kieran Wylie, who was 57, was shot a number of times at the property in Lenadoon Avenue around 10pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The detective leading the hunt for his killer said Mr Wylie was shot several times at close range – and that a “dissident republican motive” is one line of enquiry.

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Detective Chief Inspector Darren McCartney said: “My investigation into his murder is at a very early stage and I am continuing to make inquiries into events leading up to the shooting.

“This was a brutal killing and I believe Kieran was shot a number of times at close range.”

PSNI officers were still examining the area around the property yesterday morning, and police have appealed for anyone with mobile phone or CCTV video to come forward.

DCI McCartney said: “Local residents tried to help Kieran last night and this community will be rightly shocked at what has taken place in this residential area.

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“I would appeal to anyone who was in the area of Lenadoon Avenue [on Sunday] night, between 9pm and 11pm to contact detectives at Ladas Drive.

“We are particularly keen to recover CCTV, mobile phone and dash cam footage from the Lenadoon area last night and we want to speak to anyone who has any information about the incident or the events leading up to it.

“Nothing justifies killing another person and the recovery of the gun that was used in last night’s murder is a key line of inquiry for me.”

At a later police press conference, DCI McCartney said: “Certainly one of the lines of inquiry we are investigating is that there is a violent dissident republican motive”.

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He said Mr Wylie was known to police, and that the victim had previously been informed that he was “under threat”.

Mr McCartney said the murder had been witnessed by two of Mr Wylie’s children – his 16 and 28-year-old daughters.

“The lifelong effect of what they witnessed last night are unimaginable,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to ring 101 quoting reference number 1589 of 17/05/20.

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Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey, said: “Local people are shocked and angry that anyone would carry out an attack like this when the community and the emergency services are facing the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic.”