Shots fired as car is rammed amid city drama

PSNI probe under way after driver flees

THE police launched a major investigation yesterday after a car was rammed and shots fired.

Dramatic scenes unfolded at around 7am as a car was struck by another vehicle in the Sevenoaks area of Derry.

Shots were fired close to a shop before the driver of the rammed car drove off at speed around the corner into nearby Sevenoaks Crescent.

Two bullet casings were also found on the road, leading to reports there were two shooting scenes in close proximity to each other.

Forensics experts are understood be studying three bullet casings in total to establish if the weapon used has any ballistic history.

Detectives are also trying to establish if the shooting in the Waterside area is linked to a petrol bombing in the same area last month after which anti-drugs slogans were painted on a wall.

A silver Peugeot later found burnt out at Lincoln Court around one mile from the scene of the shootings is thought to have been the getaway car used by those who carried out the attacks.

Det Insp Stephanie Finlay said her enquiries were at an early stage and she was working to establish a motive.

She added: “This was a reckless attack carried out in a residential area and we are very lucky today that no-one has been seriously injured or killed.”

Local resident Angela Stewart said the shootings happened close to her home.

She added: “I have been living here for just over 12 years and it’s the first time anything like this has happened here.

“It makes me feel uneasy and nobody likes this sort of criminality happening on their streets.”