A statement by Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain referred to his killing as a "barbaric act", while Taoiseach Bertie Ahern condemned "the brutal murder" of Donaldson. Two shotgun cartridges were found at the threshold of the cottage and a post mortem revealed that he had died from a shotgun blast to the chest. The Republic's Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Michael McDowell initially said that Donaldson had been shot in the head, and his right hand was also badly damaged by gunshot.