A man was today shot dead in a gun attack in Northern Ireland, police said.
The victim was gunned down as he sat in his car in north Belfast alongside his wife and daughter.
Named locally as Paul Daly, a Catholic man in his 30s from the Knockbracken area of south Belfast, he had been visiting family in Stephen's Street when the gunmen struck. The victim was a known drug dealer but police have refused to rule out a sectarian motive.
Assistant Chief Constable for Belfast Alan McQuillan said police were investigating reports of at least two gunmen who fired a hail of bullets at the victim.
Mr McQuillan said the dead man managed to get out of his car but slumped down dead beside the vehicle.
"The investigation is at a very early stage and we are trying to interview this man's wife and daughter who were with him and are in a terrible state of shock," he said.
"This man was a Catholic but we are keeping an open mind as to a motive."
The attack occurred as the victim and his family were leaving a relative's house which they regularly visited on a Friday afternoon.
PA