PSNI reveal details of Belfast riot victims
A teenager and a man in his 20s were among those shot during violence in Belfast this week, police said.
Some of the most serious rioting for years broke out in the east of the city, with the Ulster Volunteer Force blamed for orchestrating it, and dissident republicans firing live rounds.
A man aged 25 was shot in the foot in the early hours of Tuesday morning and a youth aged 16 suffered gunshot wounds shortly afterwards. A Press Association photographer was shot on Tuesday evening.
Police chief inspector Mark McEwan said they were treating the first two incidents as attempted murder.
Mr McEwan said: “We would appeal to anyone who can help detectives with their enquiries to contact them.”
Police are investigating reports that a cyclist who inadvertently came upon the disorder on Monday night was struck on the back of the head and assaulted by masked men. He was taken to hospital having sustained a wound to the back of his head and cuts to the rest of his body.
Another man is being treated in hospital for a fractured skull after he was assaulted in the grounds of St Matthew’s Church on the Newtownards Road.
A number of items relating to the incidents have been removed for further forensic investigation.
A team of investigators is reviewing all CCTV footage available.
