Northern Ireland

Man arrested over murder of delivery driver Dan Murray in west Belfast

Dan Murray was shot in the face in his north Belfast home in an earlier murder attempt. Picture by Pacemaker
Dan Murray was shot in the face in his north Belfast home in an earlier murder attempt. Picture by Pacemaker Dan Murray was shot in the face in his north Belfast home in an earlier murder attempt. Picture by Pacemaker

A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a father-of-six in west Belfast.

Takeaway delivery driver Dan Murray (55) was shot twice in the head while making a delivery on Lady Street, near Grosvenor Road, last week after being lured into the area by a bogus call to the Chinese takeaway where he worked.

The call had been made from a phone box in north Belfast.

Mr Murray had survived a previous murder attempt last April when armed men broke into his north Belfast home while he was at home with his partner and the couple's then two-year-old son Padraig.

He was shot in the face but survived the attack.

Police described his murder as "horrific".

Two men were arrested over the murder last week, but they were both later released unconditionally.

The latest arrest in "the greater Belfast area" happened last night, the same day as Mr Murray's funeral.

He is being questioned by detectives at Musgrave Police Station.

Earlier a priest at Mr Murray's funeral said his killers "set themselves up as judge, jury and executioner".

He was one of three people targeted by gunmen in a 24-hour period in the city in paramilitary-style attacks.

A rally was held in Belfast last Wednesday night close to where Mr Murray was gunned down, as local people came together to protest against recent paramilitary-style shootings.