25/04/2002

Detectives revisit murder scene in County Tyrone

Detectives investigating the murder of Catholic taxi driver Barney McDonald in Donaghmore have revisited the scene exactly a week after the 52-year-old was shot.

Mr McDonald who was a taxi driver was shot dead as he sat waiting for a fare in his car on Wednesday April 17 in the village of Donaghmore.

The gun attack occurred as Mr McDonald pulled up outside a snooker club in Annaghbeg Park, to pick up a fare. Two masked men approached the car and shot 51-year-old Mr McDonald in the head with a shotgun. He died at the scene.

Reports as to who carried out his murder are conflicting, and police are still unable to definitively state which side of the paramilitary divide they suspected.

On Wednesday April 24, police stopped motorists and pedestrians to ask them if they had been in the Donaghmore area last week in an attempt to glean further information.

Detectives have said they still want to hear from anyone who saw Mr McDonald’s Toyota Avensis car on the day of the murder.

In addition they particularly would like to hear from anyone who was a passenger in the taxi that day or anyone who was in the area of the snooker club at Donaghmore on Wednesday evening.

(AMcE)

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