Home / Crime and Justice / Planned Assassination Reminiscent of Terrorist Attack Leaves One Dead in Northern Ireland
Planned Assassination Reminiscent of Terrorist Attack Leaves One Dead in Northern Ireland
6 Oct
Summary
- Murder of Malcolm McKeown in 2019 described as "planned assassination reminiscent of a terrorist ambush"
- Two men sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the murder and firearms offenses
- Victim had criminal history and had recently been released from prison
In a shocking incident that occurred in 2019, Malcolm McKeown was the victim of a "planned assassination reminiscent of a terrorist ambush" in Waringstown, Northern Ireland. According to the judge presiding over the case, the 54-year-old was shot multiple times while sitting in his BMW parked at a local service station, sustaining fatal gunshot wounds to the head and body.
The two men responsible for the murder, Jake O'Brien and Andrew Thomas Kenneth Martin, were found guilty earlier this year and have now been sentenced to lengthy prison terms. O'Brien must serve a minimum of 26 years before being considered for parole, while Martin, who pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder, was given a 24-year sentence.
The judge described the shooting as a "proficient" and "detailed" attack, with the victim being vulnerable and the crime taking place in broad daylight in a public area. McKeown, who was well known to the police in the Craigavon area, had just been released from prison 12 days prior to his murder and had previously been shot and wounded, receiving warnings from the police about threats from other organized criminals in the region.
