February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The latest victim was seriously injured after being shot in the head in the Woodstock Road area Monday evening, in the second gun attack in four hours.
Churchmen held the meetings Tuesday following the two shootings in East Belfast on Monday.
The incidents happened on the same day as the private funeral of loyalist Geoffrey Thomas Gray, who was shot dead in southeast Belfast on Friday. Police believe a shotgun was used to carry out the murder.
The 41-year-old father of three, originally from Portadown, Co. Armagh, had moved to Belfast within the last year. While in Portadown, he was an associate of the late Billy “King Rat” Wright.
There have been growing tensions and several attempted murders since the murder of LVF member and drug-dealer Stephen Warnock and the wounding of senior UDA figure Jim Gray in separate attacks last month.
Police believe the murder of Geoffrey Thomas Gray and the other shootings are part of that feud, which has seen former UDA leader Johnny Adair expelled from the organization. On the following night, Jim Gray was arrested but later released without charge.
Sporadic violence in the Short Strand area and in parts of central and south Belfast has broken out since the deteriorating political situation at Stormont.
Tensions also rose during the “Old Firm” game between Celtic and Rangers in Glasgow on Sunday, which ended in a 3-all draw. On the night of the match, police officers patrolling in North Belfast escaped injury in a gun attack.
During the trouble in the area, two cars were set on fire and destroyed. The attacks followed a night of sporadic violence in the area. Three people have been charged.
DUP councilor Ruth Patterson said homes on the mainly Protestant Cluan Place were attacked with petrol bombs and a barrage of other objects.
Sinn Fein councilor Joe O’Donnell said houses in the mainly nationalist Short Strand area were attacked with petrol bombs. He said the tension at the community interface appeared to have built up during Sunday following the screening of the “Old Firm” football.