Northern Ireland

Fears of more bloodshed as Jock Davison suspect shot in Belfast

Police at a house in Distillery Street where 28-year-old Scott McHugh was shot four times on Friday.
Police at a house in Distillery Street where 28-year-old Scott McHugh was shot four times on Friday. Police at a house in Distillery Street where 28-year-old Scott McHugh was shot four times on Friday.

A MAN who survived a shooting in west Belfast is a key suspect in the murder of former IRA commander Gerard 'Jock' Davison.

Scott McHugh, who was shot four times on Friday, had been aware that he was under threat from former associates of Davison, following his arrest and questioning about the murder of the IRA man in the Markets area of south Belfast last year.

He was questioned twice about the shooting but released unconditionally. He later give an interview to a Sunday newspaper denying he was involved.

The 28-year-old was shot in the head, chest, arm and leg at a house in Distillery Street in the west of the city at around 9.45am, two men are believed to have entered the property.

The shooting happened less than 24-hours after the first anniversary of Davison's murder and on the same day his family and friends were planning to commemorate his death by unveiling a plaque in the Markets dedicated to the IRA commander turned community worker.

McHugh, who is the grandson of IRA murder victim Anthony ‘Monkey’ McKiernan who was killed in 1988 over informant allegations, had only recently moved to the west of the city after spending time 'in hiding' outside of Belfast.

Neighbours say he staggered into the street after the attack before collapsing and was rushed to the nearby Royal Victoria Hospital and underwent surgery to save his life.

Police have said one of the suspects, aged in his 30s, was seen running along Distillery Street onto the Grosvenor Road and onto Leeson Street shortly after the shooting.

He is described as well groomed with a ginger beard and was wearing a blue tracksuit with the hood up, a hat and leather gloves.

Originally from the Markets area of Belfast, Mr McHugh had moved house a number of times after being warned by police he was under threat from former associates of Davison.

He had moved to temporary accommodation outside of Belfast but was recently re-homed by the Housing Executive in west Belfast.

McHugh had told friends he thought he would have been safe in the area but his presence in west Belfast was noted almost immediately by friends of the murdered IRA man.

Sources have told the Irish News that he was being followed by the gunmen, former members of the Provisional IRA, who had intended to shoot him on Thursday, the anniversary of Davison's murder.

However, a heavy police presence in west Belfast because of the Assembly elections caused the gunmen to hold off on the attack until Friday morning.

Former associated of Davison are thought to be targetting two more people, both relatives of Kevin McGuigan, they believe aided in the murder of the 47-year-old republican.

Mr McGuigan, who was one of a number of suspects in the Davison murder, was shot dead last August near his Short Strand home.

A former republican prisoner his murder caused a political backlash with the Ulster Unionist Party walking out of the Stormont executive after senior police officers said they believed members of the Provisional IRA were involved.

Sinn Féin MP for West Belfast Paul Maskey condemned the shooting of Mr McHugh, saying: "Those responsible need to be taken off the streets".

PSNI Detective Inspector Chris Wilson said: "Although we are following a number of lines of enquiry in this investigation, we are keeping an open mind as to a motive.

"We will be in a better position to be clear about what happened and why if people who have information come forward to police and provide us with details which we can turn into evidence".