A violent feud between Traveller families in Waterford city will result in somebody getting killed if it is not stopped, it was claimed today.
A 14-year-old boy remains in a stable condition in hospital after he was shot with a pellet gun by a lone gunman yesterday afternoon.
The teen is believed to have received up to 50 pellet wounds to his chest, arms and head, outside his home in the Ballybeg suburb of the city.
The attack is the latest escalation in a savage local feud which has sparked shootings, petrol-bomb attacks on homes and bare-knuckle fighting.
There are high-level local efforts to mediate between the warring Traveller families but attempts at a truce have so far failed.
Sinn Féin's Cllr David Cullinane said members of the local community have been living in fear since the feud began around mid-July.
"There is lots of anger and fear in the local community and people fear that if this violence is not brought to an end, eventually somebody will be killed," the Waterford City Councillor said.
He added: "This attack happened at 3pm in the afternoon in broad daylight. The people who shot this 14-year-old boy knew exactly what they were doing and nobody involved in this feud can offer any excuses or justification for what has happened.
"We've had women and children driven from their homes. We've had at least seven house petrol-bombed. We've had millions of euro of damage done to council property and private property.
"We also have very real anger and palpable fear in the wider community. These people need to be brought to their senses," he told RTE Radio.
Witnesses said the lone gunman fled to a waiting car after the shooting at Ardmore Terrace.
Gardaí said no arrests have been made and no firearm has yet been recovered.
The getaway vehicle was later found burned-out in an area outside the city.
Gardai have been on high alert in Waterford after a bout of bare-knuckle fighting broke out on the streets of the city on July 12th.
PA