Derry murder 'not sectarian'

Christopher O'Kane's killers lay in wait at his home

The police have ruled out a sectarian motive for the murder of a man in Londonderry.

Christopher 'Cricky' O'Kane, 37, was shot by a gang who lay in wait for him outside his house on the mainly nationalist Currynieran Estate in the Waterside area of the city.

The three or four masked gunmen, one carrying a rifle, approached him as he got out of his car at Milldale Crescent just after midnight on Friday.

Mr O'Kane ran, but was shot a number of times in the stomach, in a laneway across from his house.

He died later in Altnagelvin Hospital.

Victim 'known to police'

RUC Inspector Nicky Thompson said it was a "cold blooded murder".

Christopher O'Kane: Murdered by masked gunmen

He said Mr O'Kane was known to the police and had a criminal record.

Mr Thompson also said there had been previous attacks on Mr O'Kane's home.

Two local assembly members said they believed the killing was connected with drugs.

SDLP assembly member Annie Courtney and DUP assembly member William Hay also condemned the shooting.

Ms Courtney said the Currynieran Estate was "usually quiet, with a very good community association".

But she said it had had to deal with "the scourge of drugs" in recent years.

William Hay said: "No doubt the people who carried out the murder last night will give all sorts of excuses about why they did it.

"But nobody has the right to set themselves up as judge, jury and executioner."

Nicky Thompson: Appeal for information about Mr O'Kane's movements

In a fingertip search of the scene, the police and forensics experts recovered six spent bullet cases.

Inspector Thompson appealed to anyone who may have seen the gunmen's car, a four-door saloon, speeding away from the scene towards Ardmore Road, to contact them.

He said it was dark in colour and may have had a small taxi sign at the drivers' side

Mr Thompson also appealed to anyone who was in Mr O'Kane's company before the murder to come forward.

Shooting in Belfast

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man was seriously injured in a paramilitary-style attack in a mainly loyalist area of Belfast early on Saturday morning.

He was treated in hospital for gunshot wounds to both hands, feet and elbows.

He was attacked in Vulcan Gardens in Mountpottinger in the east of the city.