A HARDLINE faction of the UDA is believed to have been responsible for a gun attack on a house in Coleraine that has left a grandmother fighting for her life.
Sally Cummings (61) is in a critical condition in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after being struck in the back of the head by one of eight shots fired at her home on the Bushmills Road.
Both the front and the back of the property were targeted in the gun attack that involved at least three UDA gunmen and two weapons.
Her son Russell was also injured in the shooting that took place shortly before midnight on Monday.
Russell Cummings, who is known to police, was believed to have been the intended target of the attack having come into conflict with members of the UDA faction, which remains active in the north Antrim and Co Derry area.
His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Every window at the front of the property was damaged in the attack. The mother-of-three was believed to have been sitting with her back to the living room window when she was struck by a bullet.
Detective Chief Inspector Dunny McCubbin said: “The investigation is at an early stage and we are working to establish a motive for this vile attack and to identify those responsible. Let’s be clear this is attempted murder and this local woman is now fighting for her life.
“Shortly before midnight police received reports of a number of shots being fired in this area and subsequently discovered a woman lying unconscious inside her Bushmills Road home – a place where she should have been safe.
“The gunmen fired multiple shots at the front and back of the house and at least one of these bullets struck the victim’s head. They fired through numerous windows indiscriminately not knowing where the lethal bullets would end up. This clearly highlights the blatant disregard these criminal gangs have for their own community.
“I believe that three or more men were responsible for this callous attack and also that there may be two different types of weapons used. I am today appealing to local people to bring information to the police in order to stop them from causing further harm in this community.
“I am keen to hear from anyone who saw a group of men, wearing hooded tops and light coloured clothes, who were seen shortly before the attempted murder running across Bushmills Road from a laneway leading from Millburn. Three men were then seen walking and running up a lane behind the Bushmills Road house.
“I would also like to hear from anyone who saw a light, possibly grey, coloured saloon car with a dark sunroof in the vicinity.”
DUP MP Gregory Campbell said while it was is “too early to speculate” he would be working with the police to help “discover the circumstances” around the shooting.
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald condemned those responsible.
“No-one wants to see reckless and very dangerous incidents like this in Coleraine,” she said.
“Those responsible have nothing to offer society and need to be taken off the streets and anyone with information on what happened should bring it forward to the PSNI.”