Updated 22:00
A man has died following a shooting in west Belfast this afternoon.
The incident happened on the Glen Road near St Mary's Grammar School at around 3:15pm this afternoon.
The victim - who was in his 40s - was shot a number of times, including once in the head, while sitting in a car.
The gunman - also said to be in his 40s - is believed to have been wearing a hi-vis jacket with the word ‘security’ on the back of it, and police believe he made off on foot.
Belfast District Commander Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts said the shooting was an 'absolutely reckless act'.
He said: “Our thoughts this evening are very much with the family of this man who was shot this afternoon in broad daylight.
There were a large number of schoolchildren in the area at the time and it is entirely possible that we could have had a seriously injured or dead child or children as a result of this terrible act.
"The community of west Belfast do not deserve this and it will not deter the police from providing a service to the community that they expect."
Local MP Paul Maskey said a number of children witnessed the traumatic shooting.
He explained: "Schools were getting out at this particular time, and there's three schools in the general vicinity.
"There's a lot of kids who are shocked, who may have witnessed it... it's a very sad day."
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll said the shooting was "horrible and deeply concerning and should be condemned by everybody"
It is especially worrying given the amount of children and young people in the area at that time, that somebody sees fit to pull a gun and open fire in the middle of the day. We need guns off our streets.
— Gerry Carroll (@GerryCarrollPBP) December 4, 2018
A search is now underway for those behind the shooting, and police are appealing for the public's help.
