Man in 30s shot dead in St James's area of west Belfast
- Published
Police have cordoned off the area
A man in his 30s has been shot dead in west Belfast.
The shooting happened at Rodney Drive in the St James's area on Saturday afternoon.
In a statement, police said: "A man in his 30s was taken to hospital with gunshot injuries and has since been pronounced dead. Detectives have launched a murder investigation."
Police remain at the scene of the shooting and have appealed for information.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the community was disgusted and outraged by Saturday's gun attack.
He told the BBC: "Given it's just before Christmas, these actions are callous and brutal at any time of the year, but when people are trying to spend time with their family, their friends, their loved ones, it's even more horrendous.
"My sympathy goes out to the family who have experienced this. It's really an awful thing."
Police at the scene of the shooting in Rodney Drive
Sinn Féin's Pat Sheehan said there was "absolutely no place in our community for guns or for those involved in this attack".
"A police operation is ongoing in the St James's area and I would appeal to anyone with information on this shooting to bring it forward to the PSNI," he added.
SDLP West Belfast representative Paul Doherty also condemned the shooting.
"This incident has been deeply shocking and distressing to the St James's community," he said.
"There is no place in our society for violence."
Police said there was no reason to believe there was a link between the killing and another suspected murder which happened in north Belfast on Saturday.