Northern Ireland

Family member of Turf Lodge shooting victims under threat says MLA

The scene of a double shooting at Norglen Parade in west Belfast. Picture by Declan Roughan
The scene of a double shooting at Norglen Parade in west Belfast. Picture by Declan Roughan The scene of a double shooting at Norglen Parade in west Belfast. Picture by Declan Roughan

A west Belfast MLA says a family member of the couple who were shot in an attack on Thursday has been issued with a threat.

Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan condemned the latest development and called on the threat to be immediately lifted.

Peter and Marie Dorrian were both shot after an armed gang stormed into their Turf Lodge home at around 6.15 pm on Thursday.

It is understood the couple, who are aged in their 50’s, were in the house at Norglen Parade with their 19-year-old son when the three-man gang struck.

They were later taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after being shot in the living room of their home.

One of the couple’s sons last night said they were targeted after a dispute in a bar several weeks ago.

It is understood Mr Dorrian was shot in the leg three times - in the thigh and knee - seconds after his wife was shot in the ankle when she tried to intervene.

Speaking on Saturday Pat Sheehan said: "It beggars belief that threats have been issued against a family member of a couple who were shot several times in their own home in Turf Lodge earlier this week.

“It is despicable that this man and woman were shot in their own home in the first place. They have done absolutely nothing wrong unlike the armed gang who shot them.

“It piles insult on top of injury for those responsible to issue threats against a relative of the victims.

“Those responsible have nothing to offer this community and I call on them to lift the threat immediately and get off the back of the people of Turf Lodge.”