Gunmen shot son in ankles and broke mother's arm

He was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries after the incident at around 3.35am.

The man’s mother was also injured in the incident and was taken to hospital suffering from a fractured arm.

Inspector Gregory Smith would appeal to anyone who has information about this incident to contact Police at Strand Road on the non-emergency number 101, or if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Local Sinn Féin Councillor Eric McGinley said: “The shooting of a man in Ballymagroarty on Saturday night was totally wrong and I condemn it unreservedly.

“There can be no place in our society for such actions.

“Those behind this incident have nothing to offer the local community and need to stop these futile actions immediately.

“I would appeal for anyone with information on this shooting to bring it forward to the PSNI.”

People Before Profit Foyle MLA Eamonn McCann described the attackers as “right-wing vigilantes.”

“The best thing these people could do for the local community is to stop.

“If violence could solve the problems of drugs and ‘anti-social behaviour’ we’d have a contented, drugs-free society by now.

“Derry has some of the worst rates of poverty, anxiety and deprivation in the North. This is the root cause of many of the social problems, including the drugs problem, afflicting families already under pressure. All experience shows that the cruelty of vigilante actions is equalled only by their futility.

“If we put our energies into securing a detox unit and other facilities for Derry we might be closer to getting a grip on the drugs problem in particular.

“We need a revival of the community spirit that sustained working-class communities here throughout the Troubles.

“But masked men with guns who say ‘Stand back, leave it to us’ discourage any such development. They belittle the role of the people in dealing with ther own problems.

“The first thing that needs to happen is for the paramilitary organisations to cut it out.”