Northern Ireland

Derry shooting was 15th in city so far this year

A 44-year-old man was taken to a tunnel at Madam's Bank Road in Derry and shot in the leg on Sunday night. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
A 44-year-old man was taken to a tunnel at Madam's Bank Road in Derry and shot in the leg on Sunday night. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin A 44-year-old man was taken to a tunnel at Madam's Bank Road in Derry and shot in the leg on Sunday night. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

A gun attack in which a 44-year-old man was shot in the leg in Derry was the 15th shooting in the city this year.

Police said there has been a “significant” rise in paramilitary-style attacks.

Sunday night’s "brutal and horrific" shooting, close to Brian Óg's GAA ground in the Shantallow area, was the second in Derry in less than a week.

A 17-year-old was also shot in the leg when masked men forced their way into his home at Garten Square in the Bogside last Wednesday evening.

A police spokesman said the latest victim was walking with a friend when he was confronted by men and forced into a tunnel at Madam’s Bank Road at around 8pm on Sunday.

There have been calls for greater police action to curb the increase in attacks, believed to be carried out by dissident republicans.

Sinn Fein councillor Sandra Duffy said people are fearful that someone could lose their life and the PSNI should say what it is doing to deal with the problem.

Chief Inspector Alan Hutton said: “In this past year we’ve seen 15 shootings happening here in the district.

"That is an increase, a significant increase from the previous years. It’s quite clear that the people behind this are seeking to exercise control and fear over a community.”

He said police intended responding to the attacks by increasing both visible and covert activities.

“We’ll be using a range of departments and the special skills that they can bring but fundamentally it does come down to use getting the evidence that enables people to be brought before the courts and that relies on information. When we get the information we act,” he said.

Sunday’s attack was also condemned by SDLP councillor Brian Tierney, who said people were frightened by the attacks.

The chairman of Derry and Strabane’s policing partnership, DUP councillor Drew Thompson, also said it could not be justified in any way.

“This attack follows the recent shooting of a child in Garten Square and must be condemned outright,” he said.