A man left fighting for his life after being shot in Co Down was the target of a violent attack last year in which three innocent people were left shaken in a case of mistaken identity.
Brian McCourt, who is in his forties, was shot in the abdomen by a masked man in a carpark on the Rathfriland Road, Banbridge, at around 8pm on Friday.
He remained in critical but stable condition on Sunday.
A 46-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and conspiracy to murder was released on bail last night.
Police forensic teams were pictured close to a taxi at the scene while a sniffer dog was also led around the area.
Police believe the gunman made from the scene in a silver Peugeot vehicle, which was found burnt out in the Drone Hill Road area of Corbet, near Banbridge, a short time later.
The Drone Hill Road and Rathfriland Road, including its off-slip and on-slip to the A1 dual carriageway, were closed for a time before being reopened.
Sources say that Mr McCourt, who is from the Banbridge area, was the intended target of a violent attack near the town last year during which a woman was injured and two pensioners were left badly shaken after the windows of a property were smashed.
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson said the latest incident was a “sickening attack”.
“My thoughts are with the victim of this terrible incident, who I hope makes a full recovery from his injuries,” he said.
Mr Tennyson added that the local community “has been left shocked by this shooting”.
“Those behind it certainly do not represent anyone in the town or indeed further afield.
“There is no place for guns on our streets and the culprits need taken off our streets.”
“I appeal to anyone with information on this incident to contact police with it immediately.”
Sinn Féin councillor Kevin Savage said “those responsible need to desist”.
”Anyone with information on this attack should bring it forward to the PSNI,” he said.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart said it is ″important that we do allow time and space for the police to investigate this fully and avoid speculation” while UUP leader Doug Beattie described the shooting as “appalling”.
