Belfast shooting raises fears of new loyalist feud

Fears of a new shooting war between rival loyalist gangs on the streets of Belfast at the height of the marching season intensified…

Fears of a new shooting war between rival loyalist gangs on the streets of Belfast at the height of the marching season intensified tonight after the murder of a man in the east of the city.

The victim, Jameson Lockhart, aged in his late twenties, was sitting in the cab of a red lorry outside a demolished bar on the lower Newtownards Road at around 10.15am when a gunman opened fire on the left hand side.

The atmosphere will be fairly tense over the coming days and police need to be particularly vigilant
Sammy Wilson, DUP

A colleague, who was sitting with him, escaped from the tip-up lorry which rolled forward and struck a lamppost, knocking it towards a loyalist paramilitary mural near where the Avenue One bar once stood.

Mr Lockhart, who was working in the area, was struck several times as the gunman continued to fire and he died at the scene.

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Detective Chief Superintendent Phil Wright said at the scene of the shooting that police were looking at the possibility - as one line of inquiry - that he was the victim of a loyalist paramilitary feud.

“There is a lot of speculation in relation to a feud taking place,” he said.

“I don't know but I certainly hope not, and it is something we will have to look into.”

Loyalist sources blamed the Ulster Volunteer Force for the killing and said the victim had been targeted before.

Graffiti about him was also recently scrawled on walls in the loyalist Shankill Road in west Belfast.

With a loyalist parade due to take place in east Belfast tonight, politicians were urging police to be vigilant.

They also expressed concern about the potential for violence in the run up to July 11 bonfires during the Protestant Orange Order's Twelfth of July celebrations.

Democratic Unionist MP Sammy Wilson. a member of Northern Ireland's Policing Board, said: “It is deplorable that people have brought violence once again on to east Belfast's streets.

“Obviously, people will be concerned that there will be further problems tonight and indeed on the Eleventh Night, when people of like minds from organisations have been known to come together at bonfires.

“The atmosphere will be fairly tense over the coming days and police need to be particularly vigilant around the bars and haunts where they know people involved in these groups hang out.

“You can see the potential for a massive flare-up.”

Today's murder was also condemned by DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson, who is the MP for east Belfast, Alliance Assembly member Naomi Long and Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Ridgers.

Nationalist SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell also appealed for calm.

The Avenue One Bar was formerly owned by jailed loyalist Jim Gray.

The former east Belfast brigadier of the Ulster Defence Association was forced out of the organisation in April.

Just days later, he was arrested while trying to flee Northern Ireland.

On Tuesday the 47-year-old was refused bail in the High Court and remains in custody on charges of possessing and concealing criminal property and money laundering.

He denies the charges.

PA