DETECTIVES in Belfast have launched a murder inquiry after a man was shot dead in west Belfast on Saturday evening.

The victim has been named locally as Mark Hall.

Hall, aged in his 30s, was gunned down in Rodney Drive.

He was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries.

Hall was acquitted earlier this year of firearm charges at Belfast Crown Court.

Co-accused Abdel Rezk pleaded guilty to possessing two guns and a silencer following a police raid on his room at the Balmoral Hotel in west Belfast in February 2020 and jailed for three years

The 39-year-old, of Elm Court, Mallow, Co Cork, was handed a further three years on supervised licence on his release from prison.

Handing down the six year sentence, Judge Neil Rafferty QC told the defendant: “People with guns should know they are going to prison.”

The Egyptian national admitted possessing a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition, a loaded 9 mm Beretta pistol along with ammunition and a silencer in suspicious circumstances and without a firearms certificate.

As part of its murder inquiry, the PSNI have asked anyone with any information about this incident, to call on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference number 1466 18/12/21.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/