A white man wearing green, khaki or camouflage clothing shot and killed Paul Massey in the driveway of his home in Clifton, Salford, police have confirmed today.
At a press conference at Swinton police station this afternoon, Monday 27 July, the Tactical Commander for Salford and Trafford, Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, said sources of information had been “unusually quiet” and that there was no intelligence at this stage to suggest a motive for the murder.
Live news: Latest updates on murder of Paul Massey
Mr Massey was driving back to his home on the A666 Manchester Road at around 7.30pm on Sunday 26 July.
He parked up and got out of his silver BMW, but as he walked up the driveway of the house was shot at several times in the street.
Witnesses saw a white male in khahi, green or camouflage top and trousers fire off several rapid fire rounds. He had the lower half of his face covered.
It is not clear how many shots were fired, or how many times Mr Massey was hit. A post mortem is expected to determine these results later today.
Police sources said it was possible the gunman had been lying in wait for the 55-year-old grandfather.
His murderer fled on foot down an alleyway by St Anne’s Church while Paul lay wounded in his front driveway.
Police say he called 999 and said to a call-handler: “I’ve been shot and I need help.”
He was fatally injured and died in the front driveway.
It’s not known yet where the gunman went after he fled down the alleyway. It’s possible a car was waiting or he escaped on foot.
There is no street CCTV available as far as the police and council are aware.
Ch Supt Doyle said: “Obviously I was shocked when I heard about this, it is shocking when anyone dies in any manner but certainly in such an horrific manner as this.
“You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t shocked.
“We’re getting very little by way of information from the community and obviously somebody out there knows what went on and why and they need to search their souls and come forward and tell us about it.
“It’s way too early in the investigation to speculate on a motive and we are keeping an open mind.”
She added that detectives would “look back as far as is necessary” to find the link that would give them a motive to Mr Massey’s murder.
There is no evidence at this time to link the murder with a spate of shootings and a grenade explosion in Salford in May 2015
Police are not linking a petrol bomb attack on a house in Weaste this morning to the shooting.
The Paul Massey murder case is now being worked on by a dedicated team of detectives.
Ch Supt Doyle urged anyone with any information to call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
