A 43-YEAR-OLD father of one was shot twice in the chest during what police have described as a cold blooded execution.
Joe Reilly was gunned down at his home in the Poleglass area of west Belfast at around 8pm on Thursday.
Police said last night several men, one armed with a handgun, opened the unlocked door of Mr Reilly's house at Glenwood Court.
They ordered two other people to lie down on the kitchen floor while Mr Reilly was held in the living room. He was shot in the chest and died at the scene.
A motive for the shooting has yet to be established.
PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Peter Montgomery, who is leading the murder hunt, said yesterday: "It really is difficult to know how to describe what happened last night. The adjectives brutal, senseless and barbaric are inadequate.
"This was a cold blooded summary execution of a man in his own house."
There has been widespread speculation that dissident republicans may have been responsible for the killing but, as yet, no group has claimed responsibility.
Mr Montgomery said the victim had been known to police but added: "I will keep a completely open mind as to why he has been killed.
"Mr Reilly had a criminal record and that will form part of my investigation.
"But what is important here to understand is that a man has been brutally murdered in his house and I am determined to try and find out who was responsible and bring those people to justice and make Belfast a safer place to live."
The 6ft tall gunmen, who were dressed in dark coats and trousers, fled through the front door of the house and ran down the street.
One of the suspects was also wearing dark rimmed glasses and a Celtic scarf.
Police want to speak anyone who was in the Glenwood Court, Glenwood Crescent or Laurelbank area before or after 8pm on Thursday and who may have seen anything.
However, detectives are particularly keen to speak to three children who were in the area after the shooting and may have seen the gunmen escape.
Mr Montgomery added: "My knowledge of what happened and why it happened is far from complete and any information people can provide to me is very important."
An incident room has been set up at Musgrave Street PSNI station in Belfast from where a team of detectives are working on the case.
The murder has been condemned by politicians including the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
In a joint statement, Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness said: "We unreservedly condemn the murder of a man shot dead in his home in Poleglass last night.
"This savage killing is senseless and has achieved nothing. The perpetrators care only for themselves."
It was the second shooting in the Poleglass area in less than a week.
On Sunday 56-year-old Peter Lagan was shot six times in Glenwood Drive, close to where Mr Reilly was murdered.
