Police have recovered firearms and clothing they believe may have been used by one of the shooters who targeted a dissident republican in west Belfast.
Taxi driver Sean O’Reilly was shot in the shoulder in Poleglass on Sunday morning.
O’Reilly was sitting in his car outside the taxi firm where he works in the Bell Steel Manor area when, shortly before 10.30am, he was approached by two masked men.
Five shots were fired at him, hitting him once in the shoulder.
In an update on Friday, the PSNI said they have carried out several searches in west Belfast and retrieved “a quantity of firearms, along with a Hi-Vis yellow jacket and dark-coloured baseball cap”, which the police believe the two masked men involved in the shooting may have been wearing during the attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Gina Quinn said: “The victim, a 49-year-old man, was shot by two masked gunmen as he sat inside a stationary white Skoda Octavia taxi. This was in the Bell Steel Manor area of Dunmurry, just before 10.30am.
The two suspects made off from the scene prior to police arrival. I’ve already confirmed that one man was described as being dressed in dark clothing and the second described as wearing a yellow coat.
“Searches were carried out in the west Belfast area yesterday, 27 February.
"Here, we seized a quantity of firearms, along with a Hi-Vis yellow jacket and dark-coloured baseball cap. I’m releasing images of the jacket and hat, and one line of enquiry is that these are the items worn by one of the gunmen. They, along with the firearms, will now undergo forensic examination to see if they can be linked to any individual.
“Our officers continue to work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice. And, over the next days, further searches will be carried out in the west Belfast area.”
She added: “This was a ruthless attack, in broad daylight, with one intent only – to take a life. Surely this has no place in our society.
“I want to thank the public for their support, and I want to reiterate my appeal for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to please contact us. ”
O’Reilly is a former republican prisoner and an active member of Republican Network for Unity (RNU).
The shooting comes amid an escalating feud between factions of the Óglaigh na hÉireann group, better known as ONH, with the shooting sparking fears of retaliation.
by WrongdoerGold1683
6 comments
5 shots into a parked car and they got him in the shoulder, they’re prob not looking for the Turkish fella from the Olympics
Idiots target each other just shows how stupid the organisations on all sides have become fully corrupt and drug dealers who care more about image then anything else there all jokes and should just pack it in
Hope Sean O’Reilly makes a full recovery. No one deserves whats happened to him, salt of the earth hard working taxi man.
[WrongdoerGold1683 (u/WrongdoerGold1683) – Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/WrongdoerGold1683/submitted/)
You need to be something special to keep the clothes you wore to shoot someone in your house days after the attack.
Anyone else ever get excited for like half a second when they see titles like this because they think Gaz might be back? Or no one else is that pathetic?
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