Victim of Taser gun attack feared for his life

THE Cork businessman twice wounded with a potentially lethal Taser gun before being stun-gunned, knocked down a staircase and robbed, believed he was going to die.

“These guys were animals,” said Hugh Fitzgibbon, 50, as he recovered from a vicious robbery in the antiques shop where he worked. “I thought I was going to die — I thought I’d been shot as there was blood all over the place.” The diamond dealer recalled how he came face-to-face with a gang, believed to be Russian criminals. The harpoon-type barbs of the Taser lodged in Mr Fitzgibbon’s left arm and his side.

Even after he was writhing in pain, his attackers decided to use a stun gun on his right shoulder, which left a large painful burn. His two attackers struck shortly before 3.30pm on Tuesday last, when Mr Fitzgibbon was working in Victoria Antiques, Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork. Wearing wigs and sunglasses, the men burst into the shop as the diamond dealer was coming down the stairs. They immediately attacked him and then used a lump hammer to smash open display cases.