A man was taken to hospital following a serious assault in a car park in Bushmills, Northern Ireland, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The 20-year-old was found nailed to a fence, with a nail in each hand, the BBC reports, News.ro transmits.
Two vans, one of which belonged to the injured man, were found on fire in the parking lot in the area.
The police stated that paramilitary involvement was one of the main lines of inquiry.
Graffiti on nearby public toilets was associated with the attack and arson.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced that the man suffered life-threatening but non-life-threatening injuries.
The police say it was a “sinister attack”. “We live in a democratic society where there is no justification for such a thing. Those responsible brutalize their own communities and control others through intimidation and violence.”
Crews from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) also attended the scene and both vehicles were badly damaged. It seems that the man was transported to the hospital in a fire engine.
Speaking to BBC News NI, Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said it was a “truly shocking incident with almost ultra-violent levels”. “I thought these kinds of incidents were clearly in our past,” he said.
“It’s early days and we’re keeping an open mind, but this incident bears all the hallmarks of what we would see as paramilitary type attacks, so that will be a key line of inquiry,” he added.
