Ombudsman to probe PSNI handling of ‘threat’ to murdered man Jim Donegan
The Police Ombudsman’s Office is to investigate the PSNI’s handling of a threat made against a man who was later murdered as he waited for his son outside a school in Belfast.
Jim Donegan, 43, was shot as he waited in his Porsche Panamera to collect his 13-year-old son from St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School in west Belfast on Tuesday December 4.
A 63-year-old man was arrested in Belfast yesterday morning. He has now been released unconditionally.
The BBC reports that there will now be a probe into how PSNI dealt with information on a “potential threat” to Mr Donegan.
The Police Ombudsman’s Office told the broadcaster it is looking into whether the information received before his murder was properly processed.
Yesterday, the PSNI released an image of what the suspected gunman may look like.
Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery, from the PSNI’s major investigation team, said: “I have released an EvoFit image of what the suspected gunman may look like in the hope that someone may have seen this person who murdered Jim and put the lives of countless children at risk.
“I am appealing to the community to help me put this extremely dangerous individual behind bars.
“If anyone recognises this person or has any information that could assist with the investigation, please contact 101 and ask for the detectives in Seapark investigating Jim Donegan’s murder.
“If someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555111.”
The lone gunman wore a high-visibility, hip-length yellow jacket, with ‘Security’ written on the back, dark bottoms, with a grey coloured hat or hood and carried a black or dark bag over his shoulder.
He casually activated the nearby pedestrian crossing lights before crossing the road and walking alongside school children seconds before firing his weapon eight times.
He fled the scene, walking out in front of cars and holding his hand up to stop them, before jogging back along the Glen Road and disappearing into Clonelly Avenue.
Police previously said that “a dissident republican element” was a line of inquiry.