Two-year-old was inside house during gun attack

Two elderly people were in the living room of the property at Carson Street when at least two shots were fired through the window at about 8.05pm on Wednesday, October 19. A woman and a two-year-old child were upstairs.

It is believed that two men made off from the scene and headed on to Pound Street and towards Riverdale.

A police helicopter crew was called out to patrol the area after the incident.

A PSNI spokesman told the Larne Times that crime scene investigators had recovered shotgun pellets embedded in the living room wall. The occupants were said to be “very shaken” by the incident, but no one was injured.

Police said no motive had been established, and at this stage it is not believed the incident is linked to a petrol bomb attack that took place in the area on Sunday, October 16.

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs condemned the attack and said there was “no role for such behaviour in a civilised society”.

He added: “Guns being brought out and used in the early evening in a residential area is deeply disturbing.

“The only organisations who have the right to carry weapons are the police and Army and I would urge everyone to put their faith exclusively in the PSNI to investigate crime and uphold law and order.”

Larne DUP councillor Gregg McKeen added: “Incidents like this are giving Larne a bad image.”

He added: “It is not the sort of thing that residents want or expect to happen.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact CID in Larne Police Station on 0845 600 8000. 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.