The man shot dead in Newry this afternoon has been named as 24-year-old Brendan Joseph Fegan, who was originally from the Newry area. The killing is believed to have been drug related. Two men, both armed with handguns, singled him out from the crowd and shot him a number of times at close range. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Daisy Hill Hospital.
Witnesses said two gunmen, wearing false moustaches and wigs, burst into the Hermitage bar in Canal Street and shot Mr. Fegan in the head and body at close range before escaping on foot.
The victim is understood to have been a prominent local Republican. Local Sinn Féin councillor Brendan Curran ruled out IRA involvement in the shooting and said that, to his knowledge, all Republican organisations were still on ceasefire.
