Six escape injury in early morning gun attack in Coalisland

By David Hunter

A woman has described the moment she woke up to the sound of gunshots being fired at her neighbour's home in Coalisland last night.

Several shots were fired at the window of a property in Loughview Gardens shortly after 4 this morning. 

All six people inside escaped injury.

This woman lives nearby and says its not the first time something like this has happened:

Detective Sergeant Robinson said: “At around 4:10am it was reported that just a couple of minutes previously a number of shots had been fired at a house in Loughview Gardens, striking and damaging windows. 

"Fortunately, none of the six occupants in the house at the time were injured.  

"Everyone has a right to live in a safe and stable community and this type of senseless and reckless criminality will not be tolerated. Thankfully, we are not dealing with any serious injuries, or worse today. 

"We are working to establish a motive for this appalling attack and I want to reassure the community we are taking what happened this morning very seriously and I am appealing to anyone with information to please get in touch with us.

6 people have escaped injury after shots were fired at a house in Loughview Gardens, Coalisland. The road has been cordoned off in both directions. pic.twitter.com/FOLpX2jYqH

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 1, 2019

Local Councillor Malachy Quinn was woken by the gunshots.

"I have been contacted by residents this morning who, like myself, were woken up by the shots" he said. 

"Thankfully, the couple in the house were not hurt and the PSNI have sealed off the area and will be investigating. I ask anyone who may have seen something to come forward with information.

“I strongly condemn this shooting, yet again we have had outsiders coming into our community to play judge, jury and executioner, putting innocent lives at risk and disturbing others.

"Last time they narrowly missed young people having a party, this time it was an elderly couple sleeping and it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed if these people aren’t caught.”

Forensic teams remain at the scene of a house in Coalisland where shots were fired. 6 people escaped injury from the property at Loughview Gardens. pic.twitter.com/nz0Rr5DLmb

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) 1 July 2019