The murder of 28-year-old Raymond Johnston at a house in Poleglass on Tuesday night was a callous and brutal crime carried out by cold-blooded killers.
Mr Johnston was shot twice in the chest at point blank range after two masked men entered the home he shared with his partner at Glenbawn Avenue around 8pm.
It is believed this horrifying murder was carried out in front of a young girl and we can only imagine the appalling trauma she has been forced to endure.
It is absolutely shocking that any child growing up in Northern Ireland today should have to witness such a wicked deed.
It is also understood that another child was in the house at the time.
Unfortunately, this is not the first murder in this particular district.
Just over a year ago, Joe Reilly (43) shot dead in nearby Glenwood Court in a killing claimed by the republican group known as Action Against Drugs.
It is not clear what the motive was for the murder of Mr Johnston but there can be no possible justification for taking this man's life.
Police say they are exploring a number of possible lines of inquiry and have appealed for information about a man wearing a blue coat who left the scene in a black car with tinted windows.
It is imperative the PSNI receives the fullest cooperation in its investigation into this barbaric crime.
As a society we have gone through decades of violence and witnessed loss of life on a terrible scale.
We know the awful consequences of gun law and the pain and devastation it inflicts on families.
We have also seen the bloodshed and terror arising from the turf wars involving criminal gangs in Dublin.
Whoever is behind the killing of Raymond Johnston, they need to be brought to justice and their abhorrent methods completely rejected.
