A man has been shot dead on the doorstep of his home in County Down.

He was 38-year-old Mark Apsley.

The victim's six-year-old son answered the door to the gunman, who asked the boy for his father.

I think it is a terrible thing to happen to any child

Chief Inspector David Green

Mr Apsley was shot and died instantly at the scene, in Dickson Park, Ballygowan.

Police said the boy did not witness the shooting and was in another room with his mother and two-year-old sister.

They said there was "no obvious motive" for the killing.

'Evil act'

The area was sealed off as detectives launched a murder investigation.

Chief Inspector David Green, in charge of the investigation, condemned the murder as despicable.

He said: "I think it is a terrible thing to happen to any child."

He added there was nothing yet to suggest the murder was either sectarian or connected to the loyalist feud.

Shots were fired through a window of a house in Lawrencetown

Ulster Unionist assembly member Tom Hamilton condemned the murder.

"The taking of a human life is a vile and evil act, made even more shocking because it was carried out when young children were present," he said.

"I would urge anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the Dickson Park area to get in touch with the police as soon as possible so whoever is responsible for this despicable act can be brought to justice."

Meanwhile, police are investigating a shooting in County Armagh.

Shots were fired through a window of a house in Millar Park in Lawrencetown at about 0800 GMT on Sunday.

The four people asleep in the house were not hurt.

The police said they did not believe the incident was sectarian.