Four children and three adults narrowly avoided injury during two separate shooting incidents in Coleraine in the early hours of Monday. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is investigating both attacks as attempted murder.
Officers received the first report at approximately 00:10 BST of gunfire directed at a residence on Lisnablagh Road. While responding to that incident, police were notified shortly after 00:30 that shots had also been fired at a property on Silverthorn Avenue.
How close did the victims come to serious harm?
The risk to those inside the properties was substantial. At the Lisnablagh Road address, five people were present at the time of the attack, including three children. A three-year-old was asleep in bed when the shooting occurred.
Detective Inspector Hanbidge stated:
They, along with the other children and adults present in the house, could have been seriously injured as a result of this attack.
The second targeted property on Silverthorn Avenue contained an adult and a child. Despite the severity of the assault, no injuries were sustained at either location.
Detective Inspector Hanbidge added:
Again, thankfully no injuries were reported, however, this could also have ended very differently.
What happens next?
The PSNI is actively seeking information from the public to advance the investigation. Anyone with details relevant to either shooting has been urged to contact police.
