THE PSNI ARE appealing for witnesses after a double shooting in Derry yesterday evening. 

The incident was reported to police after two men were found with gunshot wounds to their legs in an alleyway on Rinmore Drive in the vicinity of shops in the Creggan area at around 6.35pm.

A 48-year-old man was shot twice in the leg, in his thigh and shin. 

A 31-year-old man was shot in the thigh. 

Both men remain in hospital today in a serious condition.

Detective Inspector Michelle Boyd said: “Our officers are continuing with their enquiries into these savage attacks, which we believe were carried out by dissident republicans.

“The fact the victims were shot in a residential area at a time when people would have been out and about shows just how reckless those responsible are, and how they have no regard whatsoever for life.

Last night’s double shooting brings the number of shootings in our city to four since the start of the year. They are simply unacceptable and there can never be any justification for them.

Carrying out attacks like this during a global health pandemic is particularly repugnant. We know the majority of people are working hard to keep their community safe and to protect the NHS, yet these violent criminals are endangering lives and increasing pressures on our emergency services and frontline workers.

“I am appealing to the public to help us remove these violent criminals from our community by bringing any information they have to us.

“In particular, we want to hear from anyone who was in the area at around 6:30pm and saw what happened to call our detectives at Strand Road on 101, quoting reference number 1559 of 06/02/21.”

Information can also be given on the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said it was “utterly depressing” to hear of the double shooting. 

“Our hospital has enough to deal with at this time,” he said. “We don’t the law of the jungle in our city. Get off our backs.”