We were targeted because we’re Catholic, says gun attack victim
A MAN caught up in a gun attack on a house in Londonderry claims it was targeted because its occupants are Catholic.
The man was inside the property in the Rossdowney Drive area of the Waterside babysitting his girlfriend’s young child when it came under fire.
The family have since fled their home after two shots were fired through the living room window on Saturday night.
They are staying with relatives in the city side but the man, who asked not to be named, has met with Northern Ireland Housing Executive asking to be re-housed.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, the man said sectarian remarks were made to his girlfriend when she moved into her home over a year ago, but there had been nothing ahead of the gun attack.
He said: “The house was my girlfriend’s and she has lived there for around 16 months but I would be over there all the time.
“We have never had any bother except she had comments made to her when she first moved in about Catholics coming into the area so we believe that was why the house was attacked.
“There can be no other reason for anyone to attack us — I am convinced it was just because we are Catholics.
“My girlfriend was out with friends and I was babysitting her daughter on Saturday night watching the football highlights with a friend of mine when out of nowhere these two shots were fired.
“I didn’t know what it was to begin with. As soon as I realised what it was, I ran out to the kitchen and rang the police.
“The baby was asleep upstairs and thank God she didn’t waken, but whoever did this must have known there was a baby in the house.
“We left to stay with my family straight away and my girlfriend doesn’t want to go near the Waterside again.”
Sinn Fein councillor Christopher Jackson said a number of Catholic or mixed religion families have been forced to flee because of sectarian attacks.
“This was an attempt to take this man’s life — there is no other way to describe it,” he added.
Police have renewed their appeal for information on the gun attack.
PSNI Chief Inspector Paul McCracken said: “I am aware of rumours circulating in the community that the motivation for this attack was sectarian.
“We will certainly explore this line of enquiry, but I would stress that at this time there is no definitive evidence to suggest that this is the case.
A spokesman for the Housing Executive said: “A small number of households have presented themselves to the Waterside office as homeless due to intimidation between July and August.”
He added: “Where intimidation is confirmed, the Housing Executive has a statutory duty to provide housing for people who find themselves in this situation.”