DETECTIVES are linking a gun attack in Derry yesterday on a man in a car to a previous arson attack on a car and home last month.
Police say a silver Peugeot rammed into a black car as it drove near the entrance of the housing estate at Sevenoaks in the city’s Waterside shortly after 7 am yesterday morning, Tuesday, July 24.
The driver managed to escape and drive to a nearby police station to raise the alarm.
There were no reports of any injuries.
PSNI Detective Inspector Stephanie Finlay said the Peugeot was abandoned and set alight at Lincoln Court a short time later.
A car parked beside it was also gutted.
Police maintained a security cordon at Sevenoaks and at the nearby loyalist Lincoln Court throughout yesterday morning while both scenes were forensically examined.
Officers from the local District Support Team combed the streets for any clues and also examined nearby drains.
DI Finlay said the PSNI was still trying to establish a motive for the attack which she described as “completely reckless” and said it was lucky no-one had been seriously hurt or killed.
However, it is now understood that detectives believe it is the second attack on the man in a matter of weeks.
Late last month, Warren Roberts suffered burns when a petrol bomb was thrown at his partner’s home in Sevenoaks.
His car was also set on fire after a gas cylinder was placed inside it.
Following the June attack the man revealed he had received a bullet in an envelope along with a threat.
Warren Roberts who says he was sent a bullet and death threat in the post in June and cheated injury on Tuesday in a gun attack
He sustained the injuries while trying to put the fire in his partner’s Renault Scenic car.
Up to 15 families had to be evacuated from their homes while ATO examined the gas cylinder.
His attackers daubed ‘DRUGS SCUM’ on the side of the house and left drugs and drugs related paraphernalia on the property.
He has denied any link to drugs and has said that those responsible are cowards.
Police believe a gas cylinder had also been placed in the vehicle.
Mr Roberts said that he was woken up by his partner screaming that there was somebody outside the house and that the car was on fire.
“I ran out and tried to put the fire out and there was an explosion and I burnt my torso and upper arm,” he told BBC Newsline’s North West reporter Keiron Tourish.
“Somebody had left drugs at the driver door along with needles and syringes. I have no interaction with drugs whatsoever,” he said.
“My children were in the house at the time and were in hysterics.”
Local politicians have united to condemn Tuesday morning’s gun attack.
DUP assembly member Gary Middleton said it was fortunate that no-one was injured or killed in the attack.
“Anybody could have been in the area. People could have been seriously injured or killed. There is no doubt that was the intention of those involved,” he said.
SDLP councillor Martin Reilly said those behind the attack were trying to turn the local area “into the Wild West”.
He called on anyone with information about the incident to pass it on to police.
