The Police Ombudsman has concluded that the police investigation into the 1993 murder of Peter Gallagher was "wholly inadequate" and failed his family.

Mr. Gallagher, a 44-year-old father of seven, was fatally shot by a loyalist gunman in west Belfast on March 24, 1993.

Police Ombudsman Mrs. Marie Anderson's investigation of a complaint from Mr. Gallagher's family revealed that despite 12 individuals being of interest to the murder inquiry, none were arrested, even when linked by significant intelligence. She specifically criticised the police decision to cease surveillance on members of the UDA/UFF's Shankill-based 'C Company' two days before the murder, despite intelligence indicating active attack planning. Within three days of surveillance being paused due to resource reallocation to PIRA activity, 'C Company' murdered Mr. Gallagher and, the following day, 17-year-old Damien Walsh, and attempted to murder two others before surveillance resumed.

Mrs. Anderson found no evidence that police reconsidered their decision to halt surveillance despite the murders and mounting intelligence. She highlighted three primary suspects—referred to as Person J, Person N, and Person M—who were not arrested despite intelligence linking them to the murder, the weapon, and other attacks. She pointed out that intelligence linking Person J to the Westlink Enterprise Centre attack, where Mr. Gallagher was murdered, was not disseminated by Special Branch to detectives investigating either murder. Furthermore, the investigation found a "fragmented investigative approach" by police, failing to link the murder of Mr. Gallagher with that of Damien Walsh, which undermined both investigations. Mrs. Anderson also noted that the murder of Mr. Gallagher had not been subjected to any "meaningful review process" by the Historical Enquiries Team or a Serious Crime Review Team.

While the Ombudsman found no evidence that intelligence could have prevented the murder, or that security forces facilitated the attack, she concluded that the decision to remove surveillance "indirectly contributed" by allowing 'C Company' to operate with fewer constraints. Mrs. Anderson stated that the UDA/UFF alone were responsible for Mr. Gallagher's murder, but ultimately, his family "were failed by a wholly inadequate murder enquiry and in particular the failure to link the murder of Damien Walsh to that of their loved one."

Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney welcomed the Police Ombudsman's report, emphasising a "catalogue of findings" that he claims point towards "collusive behaviour and collusion by state forces." Speaking after attending the report's presentation to Gallagher's family members, the South Antrim MLA stated that the family has always believed Peter's murder was "the result of collusion between unionist death squads and state agencies."

He continued: "It is clear to myself and the Gallagher family arising from the Ombudsman's findings that collusive behaviour and collusion are at the heart of Peter Gallagher's murder.

"Peter was a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother, and a great friend to so many. His late wife, Bernie and children have waged this campaign to uncover the truth about his murder with immense dignity. That was reflected in their conduct at today's meeting.

"The Ombudsman's report does not reveal the full truth, but it points the way forward for our campaign to finally secure justice for Peter. We will never give up."