One of Belfast's leading Irish Republican figures has been shot dead near the centre of the city.

Former Provisional IRA commander Gerard 'Jock' Davison has been named locally as the victim of this morning's fatal shooting in the Markets area of Belfast.

Children were reportedly running across the road screaming "daddy, daddy", according to local media reports.

The ex-IRA man was working as a community worker in the Markets district.

He became prominent within the IRA's ranks in the 1980s and later became its commanding offcer in Belfast as well sitting on the organisation's general headquarters staff. Later he became a supporter of Sinn F�in's peace strategy.

Davison was quizzed about the murder of 33-year-old Robert McCartney outside Magennis's Bar in Belfast city-centre in January 2005, but was later released without charge.

The McCartneys led an international campaign after the 2005 murder.

Robert McCartney (33) was killed after trying to help his friend, Brendan Devine, who had become involved in a row in Magennis's.

No-one has been convicted for the murder of Mr McCartney a father-of-two from the Short Strand,

McCartneywas killed after trying to help his friend, Brendan Devine, who had become involved in a row in Magennis'. It was alleged that the IRA's Belfast commander ordered the murder after the argument.

In 2007 the victim's sister, Catherine, made the claim in her book, Walls of Silence, that Davison ordered the murder. But in a news paper he denied the jurder and theat he was an informer.

SDLP south Belfast Westminster candidate Dr Alasdair McDonnell said it was a "horrendous crime".

He said: "This is a horrendous crime and those responsible have shown no regard for anyone that could have been caught in the middle of it during the school rush hour. Witnesses have described how the man was shot in the street.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the individual's family at this traumatic time.

"People here want to move on from the violence of the past. This community will reject those who bring murder and mayhem to our streets. I would appeal to anyone with any information to bring it forward as soon as possible."

Davison came from a family closely aligned to the republican movement during the Troubles. His uncle and convicted IRA man Brendan "Ruby" Davison was shot dead by the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force close to the scene of Tuesday's killing in 1988.