Needless to say SPOILER ALERT!!! You know, in case you've got last night's Red Rock recorded and want the death to remain a mystery - in which case, you should really be avoiding the internet at all costs #JustSayin'.
For those who happen to be reading this and aren't too familiar with Superintendent James McKay; this is essentially the Red Rock equivalent of Jon Snow getting killed off in Game of Thrones - only with less chance of him magically reappearing on account that he was brutally stabbed and there's nary a supernatural dragon to be found.
Obviously, as the scenes aired last night on TV3, fans found themselves almost as distraught as McKay's wife, Claire Hennessy...
Among some of the more fraught tweets, we have....
In bits watching @RedRockTV3 😢😢 my favourite character... noooooo!!! Superb watching tho ðŸ'ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ?ðŸ'ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ? (despite being an emotional wreck now) #RedRock
— KatieAmakk (@katie_makk) December 30, 2015
My face watching #RedRock tonight!! #emotional #wreck #ripmckay #redrockmckay pic.twitter.com/d5Zc3O0MnS
— Avril Banks (@Avril_Banks) December 30, 2015
Wasn't expecting that! 😳 #RedRock
— Peadar O'Sullivan âš½ (@posephoto) December 30, 2015
@RedRockTV3 They've just killed off the hottest guy in the show! #McKay #RedRock
— Ciara (@xHespera) December 30, 2015
@TV3Ireland Thanks for that..... Not 😡 Was about to have Nachos but now my girlfriend is so distraught we aren't having them #RedRock
— Adrian Massop (@ADRIANMASSOP) December 30, 2015
Oh god no!!! Devastating tv @RedRockTV3 @TV3Ireland. Why oh why??! #RedRock #savemckay pic.twitter.com/F70Y1nSstJ
— Caroline McHugh (@Caramcq) December 30, 2015
O Captain! Our Captain! Fare thee well @floodie1...Dearly missed #RedRock @RedRockTV3 pic.twitter.com/XThqUtdyvL
— David Crowley (@davygcrowley) December 30, 2015
Glad I missed #RedRock tonight, full stone sure I'd be crying till the year 2065 if I watched it 😰🤗
— Niamh✨ (@Niallzdacraic) December 31, 2015
Haven't seen nationwide devastation like this since Darren from Love/Hate and the potential loss of Superquinn sausages #RedRock
— Chris Newman (@Chrissymacc) December 30, 2015
As for actor Richard Flood, don't feel too bad for him, he always knew it was a temporary post. Seemingly this story was planned from the very beginning and he always knew he'd only be with the show for a year.
While at the preview screening with the cast of Red Rock a few weeks ago, we asked if he thought it was a good thing to get out of a show early before getting typecast, Richard replied; "It's not really that getting out of a show is good, but that this is really good for the show. This opens up a whole season of stories for these characters that can now go in so many different directions... You'll see different sides to the characters that you've never seen before."