THE NURSERY RUN HITMAN
Businessman and convicted thug Craig targeted as he dropped his child at playgroup
A GUNMAN who blasted a thug in broad daylight used his victim’s nursery run to target him. Ross Craig had just dropped one of his kids off and strapped the other into a car seat when he was shot. It’s thought the shooter had stalked Craig and identified when he would be at his most vulnerable to an attack. Craig suffered leg injuries in the murder bid in Shawlands, Glasgow, on Thursday morning. The 34-year-old – who owns florists Regal Roses – chased the gunman but he jumped into a waiting car. The attack is similar to an underworld murder bid in the city in January. Ross Monaghan, 35, was saved by a bullet-proof vest after a pram-pushing gunman shot at him at St George’s Primary in Penilee. Last night, a source, said: “The victim had just dropped off his kid at nursery and strapped his other kid into the back of his vehicle. He looked up and saw someone up ahead. When he went over to confront the person, it all kicked off and he was shot.” Craig was last night being comforted by his Polish fiancée Anna Handzel, 33, after being released from hospital. His criminal past saw him jailed for six-and-a-half years in 2010 for a vicious attack on a solider and his friend in Glasgow city centre. The incident happened in 2006 but Craig fled to Cyprus in an attempt to avoid justice. The thug pulled out a seven-inch knife and stabbed one of the men twice in the back and thigh and slashed his face. The other was also slashed and suffered chest wounds. It’s thought police are checking to see if there is a link between Thursday’s shooting and Craig’s violent past. Police would not reveal last night if Craig gave detectives a statement before he discharged himself from hospital. Flashy Craig and Anna appear to live a jet-set lifestyle and have used social media to flaunt their holidays in exotic locations such as Dubai and Sri Lanka.
Last year, Craig also posted a picture of a local taxi app in Sri Lanka and asked friends to leave bad reviews as he claimed “these b ****** s” were trying to ruin a business he had set up in the country.
He has also shared pages of businesses in Glasgow as well as the florist he set up in January with Anna and one of her relatives. Former Miss Scotland Nicola Mimnagh posed with a bouquet of their roses in a promo shot in February.
The 5ft 7in gunman involved in Thursday’s shooting fled in a dark-coloured car. He was wearing dark clothes and a dark beanie hat.
Yesterday, officers searched drains for clues. Uniformed officers also patrolled the area to reassure the public.
Detective Inspector Colin Hailstones said: “I know locals will be concerned by this incident. We understand that this was a targeted and isolated attack. It is being treated as attempted murder.
“Specialist officers will be working in the area and we are conducting door-to-door inquiries and assessing opportunities to capture CCTV.
“We will not allow such a brazen act of violence to go unaccounted for.”
The attack happened about 150 yards from St Conval’s Primary.
The shooting follows several similar incidents in the city in recent months.
As well at the hit on gangland figure Monaghan, Euan Johnston, 26, was shot dead in a drive-by on Shields Road on the southside in November.
Last month, thugs opened fire on the house of crime lord Jamie Daniel’s son Francis “Fraggle” Green in north Glasgow.