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Vigilance urged in wake of taxi driver shooting

Thursday, 22 July 2010

VIGILANCE has been urged in the wake of the horrific shooting of a taxi driver from Strabane at the weekend.
Understood to be the fifth firearm incident in the district within the past four months, the shocking attack happened on Saturday night when a taxi driver, aged 29, was dragged from his car before being beaten up and shot twice - once whilst he was trying to escape.
Named locally as Kevin Devine, the victim was taken to Altnagelvin Area Hospital, in Londonderry, where yesterday (Tuesday) he was said to be in a 'stable condition'.
According to police, who are investigating the incident, the man was called to pick up a fare at Glebe Gardens, in The Glebe, at 11pm. When he arrived at the address a number of men emerged, pulling him from the vehicle to a grassland area. There he was beaten and shot twice, once in the left thigh and again in his right leg as he tried to get away from his attackers.
The assailants used the victim's car, a dark coloured seven-seater, to escape. It was located a short time later on Strabane's Orchard Road, a police spokesperson said.
It is the second shooting since the end of May in Glebe Gardens, which also saw the discovery of a pipe bomb yards from the playground of St Theresa's Primary School in June.

As police appeal for information about the incident and the abandoned vehicle, Strabane district councillor and fellow taxi driver, Gerard Foley, described the attack as "well planned".
According to Mr Foley, the taxi, destined for Londonderry, was ordered more than 30 hours in advance at lunchtime on Friday.
Highlighting that such attacks reflect badly on the local community, Mr Foley, who is an elected representative of the Glebe area, said: "In the Glebe there have been two shootings and a pipe bomb attack and while it happens in Glebe it is not people from the community involved and that brings a bad name to the Glebe," he said.
“A man was saying to me there you would think the Glebe is Beirut. It's not the way forward.
“We had a meeting back three weeks ago and there was a large turn out, about 50 people came out for it. We looked at a lot of points and people talked about their concerns. People just don't want this anymore."


Expressing his shock over the incident, Strabane district councillor, Eugene McMenamin, called into question how such an attack could be justified.
“This just beggars belief," he said. "Here is a man trying to earn a living on a Saturday night. He is called to pick up a fare and when he gets there he is beaten to a pulp and shot for it. It's just totally not on.
“This has become such a common incident that many people seem to take these things for granted, [but] I would urge anyone with a fragment of information to come forward because God forbid it could be your brother or your sister or your mother this happens to. It's a disgrace.
Vigilance
“Obviously there are many questions that need to be asked and people need to be very vigilant because these groups don't need excuses."
He said rising concern about cases of mistaken identity were very real.
“Of course, that has happened and it will happen again, yes. People need to be aware and I sincerely hope these people [the attack's perpetrators] are caught and dealt with severely by the law."
Meanwhile, also condemning the incident, West Tyrone MP, Pat Doherty, said: "The people of the Glebe and the wider Strabane area will be abhorred [by] the shooting of a taxi driver in the Glebe and want to see an immediate end to such brutal actions.
“In recent months there have been at least 10 shooting and pipe bomb incidents yet those who are engaged in this campaign have yet to provide a coherent rationale as to what they hope to achieve through these attacks.
“These attacks leave behind a trail of suffering, misery and hurt in their wake and instead of building stronger and more coherent communities they have the complete opposite affect.
“Yes the Strabane area, like every other urban area, has its social problems, but those behind these attacks are deluding themselves if they think attacking people and their property in this small geographical area is going to eradicate any of the social problems that we have in wider society.
“I would repeat my call for those involved in these incidents to call a halt to their futile actions. This community does not need them or want them."
Police in Strabane are appealing for anyone with information about the shooting or the vehicle found abandoned at Orchard Road, to contact detectives at Strabane on 0845 600 8000. Information can also be passed anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity by calling 0800 555 111.

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