Murdered man's mother appeals for violence to end

Police have revisited the murder scene of Carrick man Colin Horner in a fresh appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Colin Horner.Colin Horner.
Colin Horner.

Officers handed out leaflets to shoppers asking for information about the murder and a maroon Ford Mondeo car which was believed to have been used by the killers.

Mr Horner (35) was gunned down in front of his three-year-old son as they sat in his black-coloured Nissan Pulsar car in the car park of Sainsbury’s supermarket, in Bangor, on the afternoon of Sunday, May 28.

His funeral took place in Bangor on Monday,

Alan James Wilson (28), from Ballyrainey Road, in Newtownards, appeared in court on Friday charged with his murder. He denied the allegation. A number of arrests have also been made.

Mr Horner had relocated to North Down recently amid fears he would be targeted in the same paramilitary feud that claimed the life of loyalist George Gilmore in March.

Police have confirmed that one line of inquiry in the murder investigation is a link between Mr. Horner’s killing and the long-running loyalist dispute in Carrickfergus.

Mr Horner’s mother Lesley appealed for the violence to end. She said: “We do not want any retaliation for this. We do not want any other family to go through this. There is meant to be peace in this country. It has to stop.”

Detective Superintendent Kevin Geddes said: “We have received really helpful information from the public in connection with this brutal and senseless killing and I would like to thank anyone who has contacted police.

“I would continue to appeal to people for their help as our investigations progress. I would ask anyone who has captured any footage at the scene to please get in touch.”

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