Two men hurt in turf war shooting

A VICIOUS turf battle between gangs in Co Tipperary is believed to be behind the gun attack in Templemore in which two men were wounded early yesterday.

Both received minor pellet injuries when a shotgun was fired into the house they occupied.

It is believed the attack is related to a firebomb attack on a house in Thurles last week. Nobody was injured in the attack.

A local source said: “There has been trouble in Templemore and Thurles between groups known to be involved in drugs. It’s tit for tat.”

Both men injured in the latest shooting were not seriously hurt and have been allowed home from hospital.

One source said: “There is a long history of violence among some of these families. It is a drugs war and groups are out to protect what they have with regard to the sale of drugs in North Tipp.

“There is a lot of money to be made and neither the Thurles crowd or the Templemore crowd are prepared to give in: There’s too much money at stake.

“Drugs are all over the place. Even in a small village there is huge money to be made. If you have a place to your own you are not going to let another crowd in.

“The money is big and the gangs won’t leave go. They have orders of drugs and if someone upsets the sale of that, there will be trouble,” the source added.

And in Waterford city, a shot was fired into a house in the Ballybeg estate. A man was seen going towards the house in the Priory Lawn area and firing through the front window just before 10am.

A woman was in the house at the time but was not injured.