BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Kevin Conway (26), originally from the Lurgan area, was fatally shot at his residence in the Greenan area of the city on Tuesday night.
Conway was one of three individuals charged in connection with the murder of Shane Whitla in Lurgan in January 2023. During court hearings, it was disclosed that he was under threat.
A senior officer described Conway’s killing as a “horrific, calculated and ruthless” act.
Emergency services responded to the scene at Rossnareen Park, off the Shaws Road, that Tuesday night. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service revealed that paramedics were called just before 9:30pm, but Conway died at the scene.
Forensic experts were focused on an area close to the Greenan flats. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is planning to increase patrols in the area in the coming days.
Detective Inspector Quinn urged anyone with information to contact police, stating that the investigation was at an early stage. She appealed to anyone who was in the Greenan area from 4pm onwards and who noticed anything suspicious to come forward.
Mr. Conway had been one of three men charged with the murder of Mr. Whitla in Lurgan on January 12 last year. Whitla, a 39-year-old father of four, was gunned down in an alleyway over an alleged drug debt to a notorious crime gang known as The Firm. It was alleged that Conway set the victim up in phone calls which lured him to the scene of the shooting.
At the time, concerns were expressed that he could be targeted in a possible reprisal attack. Conway had been released from custody last July, but his bail had previously been revoked.
Speaking at the scene, Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey expressed his condolences to Conway’s family and emphasized the community’s disapproval of violence.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll described Conway’s murder as a “brutal and harrowing” act and expressed his sympathies for the victim’s loved ones.
SDLP west Belfast councillor Paul Doherty said that the shooting had sent shockwaves through the community, with police remaining at the scene to carry out their investigation.
In conclusion, the fatal shooting of Kevin Conway has triggered a ripple of fear and shock throughout the local community. The ongoing police investigation remains a priority, and authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward to ensure that those responsible for this act are brought to justice.