The murder of a top loyalist on a packed Belfast shopping street sparked fears tonight of another bloody internal feud between rival gangs.
Bobby Moffat, understood to paramilitary connections, was gunned down on Belfast’s Shankill Road in front of dozens of shocked bystanders, including young children, in a lunchtime attack reminiscent of the dark days of the Troubles.
The 44-year-old was shot a number of times in the face by two masked gunmen.
Police described the murder as “a cold-blooded, ruthless killing”.
“It is a chilling reminder of a violent past that everyone in the community hoped we had left behind,” said a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman.
“Police are following a number of definite lines of inquiry and will work with determination and professionalism to catch the killers.”
The Shankill Road, a broad thoroughfare linking the city centre with the north west of Belfast, was the scene of much bloodshed during the Troubles and since the ceasefires of the 1990s has witnessed a number of killings linked to turf wars between loyalist paramilitary groups.
Ulster Unionist Party member Bill Manwaring arrived at the scene, yards from a loyalist mural, and tried to offer first aid to the victim.
He said the dead man had suffered severe injuries to his face and hand, and added: “By the time I had arrived, it had already happened. Some colleagues were helping put him in the recovery position.
“The injuries were horrific and young children were on the street when this happened.”
He added: “We had 40 years of this area suffering from this kind of activity and there is no reason for this. It is unacceptable.”
A local resident who witnessed the shooting said: “I thought it was a car backfiring. I heard about four shots and saw the gunmen standing in the middle of the road wearing balaclavas and orange tops.
“I saw the bloke lying there. I think he was shot in the head or the face.”
He said the gunmen ran off through nearby Conway Street and escaped from the scene, which was by then packed with members of the public.
“The area was very busy,” he said. “People came running out from the shops, the place was black with people.”
Bandages and a spot of blood on the road marked where the victim fell and where paramedics tried to save his life.
A double-decker bus was parked inside the police cordon, while people looked on from nearby bookmakers and bars.
Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford condemned the murder and said: “This cold-blooded murder in broad daylight will shock people across Northern Ireland.
“Those who carried out this killing are to be condemned and anyone with any information should bring it to the police.”
PA