PSNI DETECTIVES ARE appealing for information and witnesses after a man was shot in the back and both legs in north Belfast yesterday evening.

Detective Sergeant Kitchen said: “Shortly after 10.15pm, it was reported that four masked men entered a property in the Antrim Road area and shot the male occupant in the back and in the legs.”

“Police attended the scene together with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

“The victim, who is aged in his 40s, was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries. He remains in a stable condition at this time.

“A second man who was also in the property at the time was uninjured, however, understandably he has been left badly shaken.”

Detective Sergeant Kitchen continued:

“Our investigation into this incident, which we are treating as attempted murder, is ongoing, and we are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw what happened, or who may have any information which may assist, to get in touch.”

SDLP North Belfast councillor Carl Whyte has condemned the shooting.

Councillor Whyte said:

“This is a despicable attack that has left a man in hospital with potentially serious injuries and upset the local community in this area who just want to live in peace. Nobody should have their lives disrupted in this way and those behind this attack cannot be allowed to cause fear or cast a shadow over this area.

“I would urge anyone with any information about what happened here to come forward to police as soon as possible so that this dangerous weapon can be taken out of circulation before anyone else is harmed and so that the criminals who carried out this shooting can be apprehended.”