According to his family, Shields, who had a criminal record but not for republican activity, had regularly been targeted by Bratty and his associates for physical attack in the past and they had fired shots into his mother's house in nearby Burmah Street when he lived with her.
His family reported that Shields, despite having a criminal history unrelated to republicanism, was often attacked physically by Bratty and his group. They also fired shots into Shields' mother’s home in the adjacent Burmah Street while he resided there.