Northern Ireland

Two men arrested over Jim Donegan murder outside west Belfast school

Murder victim Jim JD Donegan with his wife Laura
Murder victim Jim JD Donegan with his wife Laura Murder victim Jim JD Donegan with his wife Laura

Two men have been arrested in connection with the death of a father who was shot while waiting for his son outside a Belfast school.

Jim Donegan (43) was targeted in front of children leaving school on the Glen Road in west Belfast on Tuesday.

The married father-of-two was shot in the head as he sat in his Porsche car waiting to collect his teenage son, and died instantly.

The PSNI said two men, aged 49 and 51, were detained yesterday evening following a number of searches in the west Belfast area.

They remain in custody.

Footage of the gunman in the Jim Donegan murder captured running away from the scene of the gangland style assassination
Footage of the gunman in the Jim Donegan murder captured running away from the scene of the gangland style assassination Footage of the gunman in the Jim Donegan murder captured running away from the scene of the gangland style assassination

Mr Donegan's 13-year-old son is a pupil at St Mary's Grammar School, near where the attack happened.

Read More: Wife of murder victim Jim Donegan pays touching tribute

More than 1,000 pupils were exiting the school at the time of the attack and teachers shielded the car in which Mr Donegan sat from the view of children.

The school is expected to reopen for classes on Thursday.

Flowers at the scene on the Glen Road near to where Jim Donegan was murdered on Tuesday. Picture by Mal McCann.
Flowers at the scene on the Glen Road near to where Jim Donegan was murdered on Tuesday. Picture by Mal McCann. Flowers at the scene on the Glen Road near to where Jim Donegan was murdered on Tuesday. Picture by Mal McCann.
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