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 stated that Shields, despite having a criminal background unrelated to republicanism, was often subjected to physical assaults from Bratty and his group. They also fired shots into Shields' mother’s home in the vicinity of Burmah Street while he was living there.