Real IRA blamed for murder of west Belfast man

The Real IRA has been blamed for the murder of a 35-year-old father-of-six who was shot dead in west Belfast yesterday morning.

Daniel McGurk was shot dead in front of his family by three gunmen who called to his home on Ross Road, in the Lower Falls area.

Mr McGurk was apparently shot in both ankles and the thigh before the gunmen pumped three bullets into his chest as he struggled to fight them off.

Reports this morning said the victim had been beaten with an iron bar and a hammer last week after allegedly speaking out against the Real IRA in west Belfast.

The PSNI said his murder yesterday morning could have been another punishment attack that went wrong.