25-year-old sixth victim of paramilitary style attack in Derry/Londonderry in 24 hours

by Gráinne Connolly

A man in his twenties has been shot in a paramilitary style attack in Derry/Londonderry. 

It happened at house in Mimosa Court in the Gobnascale area at around 10.50pm last night. 

Three masked men, one armed with a gun and another armed with a hammer, entered the property and shot the occupant in the leg. 

The gunman attempted to fire a number of shots but the gun jammed and the suspects fled. 

The 25-year-old victim, who is now the sixth person in the city to be targeted in a paramilitary style attack within 24 hours, was treated in hospital. 

His injuries are not thought to be life threatening. 

A woman who also inside the house at the time was unharmed. 

The attack comes after three men were beaten with bats and bars in Galliagh and two teens were beaten with a crowbar in Creggan on Thursday night. 

Detective Inspector Peter McKenna said: "We received a report shortly before 11pm that at approximately 10:50pm three masked men entered a house in Mimosa Court in Gobnascale.

"One of the men was armed with a hammer while a second, armed with a handgun, shot the 25-year-old victim in the leg.

"The gunman attempted to fire a number of subsequent shots, but it was reported the gun jammed and the suspects fled.

"A woman who was in the house at the time was unharmed. There was no one else in the house. 

"The victim was taken to hospital for treatment of the injury to his leg, which is not believed to be life threatening. 

"The gunman is described as being approximately 5'4'' tall, while the suspect wielding a hammer is described as being taller.

"Both suspects spoke with what has been described as local accents, and all three men wore balaclavas. 

"This was a savage and brutal attack on a young man in his home, carried out by faceless cowards.

"Nothing gives these people the right to violate the human rights of others, and their actions should be condemned by all.

"Those who are involved in paramilitary-style attacks do not represent the interests of any community, nor do they contribute anything to it. They do it to try and exert influence or gain control in communities. 

"I am aware of community concern following last night's shooting as this is the third paramilitary-style attack in the city within a 48-hour period.

"Our investigations into each of these attacks are at an early stage and we are following a number of lines of enquiry, however, at this stage we don’t believe the three attacks are linked.  

“I want to reassure the community we are investigating each of these attacks thoroughly and would call on anyone who has information which can help us identify those involved to pick up the phone and tell us what you know. 

"Think about your own brother or sister, or son or daughter, would you want them becoming a victim of this kind of attack? If you don’t - if you want to stop this sort of behaviour - we need information.

“I want to appeal to anyone who was in the Mimosa Court area last night and saw three men acting suspiciously, or who has information which could assist our investigation, to call detectives at  Strand Road on 101, quoting reference number 2164 of 30/08/19.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.”