A man shot several times in a gangland-style attack in front of children at a Co Armagh primary school was named locally as Jim Carlisle jnr.
The victim, who is in his mid-thirties and has several criminal convictions, was last night seriously ill in hospital after he being hit twice in the chest and twice in the arm in the drive-by shooting.
The attack happened as he was picking up his child from St Brendan's Primary School at Moyraverty Court in Lurgan shortly after 3pm yesterday.
Dozens of young children who were getting on a school bus as well as several parents witnessed the shooting.
The injured man managed to stagger several yards to the bus before he collapsed.
The school gathered pupils in the assembly hall and they were later taken out of the building through a back entrance.
Police said they believe the shots were fired from a car which was found on fire on Deramore Drive in Lurgan shortly afterwards.
Chief Inspector Jon Burrows appealed for information, including from anyone who saw the black BMW 525 Sport, registration JIG 8111.
"There are no words to describe the foolhardiness and complete disregard for the safety of the children and parents who were in the area at the time," he said.
It is the latest gun attack to take place in Lurgan.
Earlier this week a couple and their seven-year-old son escaped uninjured after a shot was fired at their home on Ardboe Drive in Lurgan.
The gunman reportedly fired at the front door before fleeing on a bicycle.
SDLP Upper Bann assembly member Dolores Kelly called for the community to unite against violence.
"All violence on our streets is unacceptable but this attack, outside a school while children were meeting their parents, was utterly deplorable," she said.
"It is time now for people to step up to the mark and unite against those who want to return violence to our streets.
"It means cooperating with the police and coming forward with information that will help bring these criminals to justice."
Sinn Féin education minister John O'Dowd also condemned the attack.
"This was a terrifying experience for pupils and staff at the school.
"There can be no place for guns in our society. I would encourage anyone with information on this shooting to bring it forward to the PSNI."
DUP councillor Carla Lockhart also described the attack as "disgraceful", while Alliance justice spokesman Stewart Dickson said it "beggars belief".
The shooting is not the first to take place near a school.
Last November a 41-year-old man was shot in the head close to a school at Rossnareen Avenue in west Belfast.
In 2004, 31-year-old Kevin McAlorum was shot dead in his car as children arrived for classes at Oakwood Integrated Primary School in Dunmurry. His death was linked to an earlier INLA feud.
