Man shot and mother injured during attack

People Before Profit candidate Eamonn McCann is interviewed outside the Foyle Arena in Londonderry, as counting of votes continues in the the Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies in the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday May 6, 2016. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The man’s 58-year-old mother also sustained a fractured arm during the violent episode at Yeat’s Court in the Ballymagraorty area of the city shortly after 3.30 a.m. on Sunday.

Both the victim, who was in his 30’s, and his mother, were taken from the scene to Altnagelvin Hospital for treatment for their injuries.

Police yesterday re-issued their appeal for information about the incident as politicians rounded on those responsible.

People Before Profit Foyle MLA Eamonn McCann described those who shot a man in Ballymagroarty as “right-wing vigilantes.”

He said: “The best thing these people could do for the local community is to stop.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Eric McGinley, meanwhile, branded the shooting “a futile action.”

“Those behind this incident have nothing to offer the local community and need to stop these futile actions immediately,” he said.

SDLP Councillor John Boyle said: “Increasingly we are seeing the shadow of the gunman hang like a melovolent spectre over our communities.”

He added that the leadership at Stormont under the new administration “needs to be looking at taking a very firm hold on this, and doing so very quickly,” adding that there has been around 1,000 punishment-style attacks since over the past decade.

PSNI Inspector Gregory Smith has appealed to anyone who has information about this incident to contact Police at Strand Road on the non-emergency number 101, or if they prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.