A man gunned down in a Belfast alleyway has died in hospital, police said.

The 33-year-old was shot three times in the leg shortly after 10pm on Friday, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

He was taken to the city’s Royal Victoria Hospital where he later died.

Inspector James Murphy said: “The victim was shot three times in the leg in an alleyway at Butler Place close to Elmfield Street at around 10.05pm.

“He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where later died from his injuries.

“We are keen to hear from witnesses or anyone with information regarding this heinous crime.”

Nuala McAllister, Alliance Party councillor for North Belfast, said: “There can never be any excuse for carrying out such a heinous act and I utterly condemn the thugs behind it. Thanks to them, there is now a man lying dead and a family plunged into mourning.

“Violent attacks and murder have no place in our society. This was a brutal crime and those behind it need taken off our streets. Our entire community must unite against those who seek to drag us back to the bloody days of the past.”

Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said the man killed in the Ardoyne area of Belfast had been a father-of-four.

He said: “This killing has shocked the local community in north Belfast. This is the second such killing carried out in this area in the last six months by an armed gang which is clearly at war with the local community.”

Nichola Mallon, the SDLP councillor for North Belfast, added that the local community had been left “reeling” by the brutal killing.

She said: “North Belfast has shouldered this kind of savagery in the past. There can be no justification for it. It was wrong then and it is wrong today.”