The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) suspects the murder of a man in his 50s and the attempted murder of a priest in Downpatrick on Sunday may be connected.
A 30-year-old man remained in custody on Monday in connection with the fatal attack on Stephen Brannigan and serious assault on Canon John Murray (75).
On Monday, the PSNI said it had increased its presence in the Co Down town and insisted there was “no ongoing risk to the public”.
Mr Brannigan, a painter and father-of-two, was found dead in the Marian Park area at about noon on Sunday. The discovery was made soon after a serious assault on Canon Murray, who was attacked in St Patrick’s Church after he was asked to hear someone’s confession.
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“A man entered the church and brutally attacked the priest with a bottle,” Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson said in a statement.
“The victim was taken to hospital for treatment to a head injury. Here, he remains in a serious, but stable, condition.”
He said that while attending the church after the assault, police received a report at around midday regarding the death of a man in the Marian Park area.
While investigations into both the murder and attempted murder are at an early stage, Det Chief Insp Robinson said one line of inquiry was that “the two are connected”.
“I am keen to appeal to anyone who was in the St Patrick’s Avenue area of Downpatrick between 9am and 11am on Sunday, or the Marian Park area between 12 midnight and 12 noon on Sunday, and saw or heard anything untoward, to please come forward and speak to us,” he said in a statement.
Supt Norman Haslett, the District Commander for Newry, Mourne and Down, said there would be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days.
“For a man to be murdered and a priest to be attacked in the sanctity of his own church, these are appalling acts and I understand that many people will inevitably be struggling to come to terms with both grief and shock,” he said.
Mr Brannigan’s family have paid tribute to “our beloved dad, grandad, son and brother”. In a statement, they also thanked people for support following their “shock, pain and total heartbreak” at the killing.
They said Mr Brannigan was known among his neighbours and friends “as someone who was always willing to help out, ready to do whatever needed to be done for the good of others”.
“We know his life was not perfect. But for us, he was our dad, our grandad, our son and our brother.”
The family also extended their “prayers and deep concern for Canon John Murray”.
“Fr John is highly respected by our family and by all in our community. It is so typical of his kindness that he was willing to reach out in trust to someone he believed was in distress, despite the obvious risk to himself.”
SDLP councillor Conor Galbraith told the BBC Mr Brannigan was a “painter and decorator” who was always known as “a quiet lad up in the Marian Park area, always willing to help out whenever the neighbours needed it”.
Canon Murray had been due to retire as a priest this week after 50 years’ service in the local area.
Speaking to the BBC, Bishop Alan McGuckian said he and parishioners had been “shocked beyond measure” at the “awful injuries” inflicted on the priest.
He said they could see “he had been beaten around the head, I think he had defensive injuries, broken bones in his hand, there was a lot of blood, it looked … extremely serious.
“Thank God it has turned out to be serious, but not critical.”
A Mass is due to be celebrated in Downpatrick on Tuesday morning to support the Brannigan family and Canon Murray.
