Four men have been arrested by detectives investigating a paramilitary style shooting in west Belfast.
A 20-year-old man was found with a single gunshot wound to both legs in an alleyway in the Westrock Park area of the city at around 8.30pm on Friday night. He remains in hospital with what have been described as potentially life changing injuries.
PSNI Detective Inspector Barry Hamilton said on Saturday: “A number of searches under the Terrorism Act were carried out this morning in the Clonfadden Crescent, Iris Street, Albert Street and Whiterock Crescent areas. Items, including electronic devices were seized and have been taken away for further examination.
“Four men, aged 33, 48 and two aged 39, were arrested under the Terrorism Act and are currently in custody assisting us with our enquiries.
“This was a vicious and brutal shooting in an area where families live. To shoot this man in an area where anyone could have been passing shows the contempt they have for people in their community. The bullets could have strayed at any moment and hit someone passing by.
“This is appalling and needs to stop.”
He appealed to the public for any information they may have to help bring those responsible to justice.
Detectives can be contacted on 101 or information can also be provided by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Cries of pain
The PSNI said a 25-year-old man was also injured in a "paramilitary-style" gun attack in Lisfannon Park in Derry at 7pm on Friday night. He too was shot in both legs. The mother of this man heard his cries of pain and ran to his aid, the PSNI said on Friday.
Police described it as “a sickening and vicious attack” and said the man was targeted in a residential area during the early evening when children and families were going about their normal everyday lives. “This is despicable and should not happen in a civilised society,” a PSNI spokesman said.
“What makes this incident all the more shocking is that the victims own mother heard his cries of pain and ran to his aid.”
The PSNI spokesman appealed “to the people of this community to help us identify the perpetrators of this callous attack”.