A sister of father-of-two Warren Crossan has said he was "inseparable" from a friend shot dead a street away from his own murder scene.
Mark Hall was shot on Rodney Drive in the St James's area of west Belfast by two men armed with handguns who fired at least seven shots shortly after 4.30pm on Saturday.
He was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds but was later pronounced dead.
Mr Hall was a close associate of Warren Crossan who was shot dead in nearby Saint Katharine's Road in June 2020.
Mr Crossan's sister Ann wrote on Facebook next to pictures of the two friends together: "Really can't take this in at all two brothers who were inseparable are now back together again, heartbreaking. Mark Hall Warren Crossan RIP boys use will be forever missed and loved always."
A friend also said he was "gutted to hear about a life long friend Mark Hall murdered tonight in St James's... (at) the house where we played in as kids".
Detectives have launched a murder investigation into Mr Hall's death.
According to reports Mr Hall was recently acquitted of charges involving the possession of firearms and drugs after his arrest last year, accused of possessing a sawn-off shotgun, pistol and ammunition in Belfast.
He also faced two counts of possessing a Class A drug and one of possessing a Class C drug, but was acquitted of all charges last month.
The PSNI said Mr Hall's sister was returning from some nearby shops when she "saw the gunmen approach the house and tried to intervene before a number of shots were fired through the front window, striking and fatally wounding Mark".
Detective Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan said "a number of family members were present in the room when these shots were fired, all narrowly missing injury" and as the gunmen made off, a shot was fired at his sister, passing through her handbag.
