Police investigating murder of Jim Donegan believe gunman has killed before

By Q Radio News

Detectives investigating the murder of Jim Donegan in west Belfast, say they believe the gunman has killed before.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery who’s leading the investigation into Jim Donegan’s murder, believes the gunman has killed before: pic.twitter.com/vYYNCkuQrl

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) December 11, 2018

The 43 year-old, also known as ‘JD’ was shot 8 times while waiting for his son outside a school on the Glen Road last Tuesday.

One week on, the PSNI is once again appealing to people who were in the area when it happened to come forward.

Officers spoke to parents as they arrived to pick up their children this afternoon in an effort to obtain information about the lone gunman who shot Jim in broad daylight as he sat in his red Porsche Panamera, registration JDZ34, waiting to pick up his 13 year old son.

They also issued new CCTV footage showing the gunman casually activating the pedestrian crossing lights before crossing the road and walking along side school children seconds before firing his weapon eight times.

WATCH: Police have released more CCTV footage of the gunman believed to have killed Jim Donegan in West Belfast last week: pic.twitter.com/JKogzgeUTd

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) December 11, 2018

DCI Pete Montgomery is leading the murder probe: 

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery said: “We are now one week into the investigation of Jim’s murder and I am keen to hear from anyone who saw the man who callously murdered him just as the school bell rang for pupils to go home.

"Hundreds of children were pouring out of the three schools in the Glen Road area of West Belfast at the time – many of them witnessing the assassination of the father of two.  Jim’s son was spared from this thankfully but only by a few seconds.

"Mums, dads, grandparents, young siblings and people in the community also saw the brutal slaying.

"The callous actions of the gunman will have catastrophic psychological effects on them all.

“The chilling CCTV footage shows him walking down the  Glen Road  before stopping outside Christian Brothers Secondary School .

"He then activates and waits at the pedestrian crossing for the ‘green man’ before  walking casually across the road  in front of school children.

"He then shoots Jim and while fleeing from the scene, walks out in front of cars holding his hand up to stop them before jogging back along the Glen Road and into Clonelly Avenue, where he disappears.

“Were you standing beside the gunman at the lights, were you driving one of the cars stopped at the pedestrian crossing as he walked across, were you the driver of one of the cars when he stepped out onto the road after he’d murdered Jim. 

"If you were please get in touch with me or one of my detectives as you may have information which is vital for my investigation."

"I would like to hear from anyone who saw the gunman or was in the area during these times. Were you driving in the area and have dash-cam footage which could be of use to our investigation?

“I also want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time, even if you did not witness the attack or see the gunman as I need to eliminate you from my enquiries.

“A dissident republican element is a main line of enquiry and I am appealing to the community to help identify who put the lives of countless children at risk and murdered Jim."

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery, who’s leading the investigation into the murder of Jim Donegan, says it’s the biggest he’s ever been involved with: pic.twitter.com/QUSRzZP5v5

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) December 11, 2018

Wreaths with emotional messages from family members and friends, have also been laid at the scene of Jim Donegan’s murder in West Belfast: pic.twitter.com/066KmTJG92

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) December 11, 2018