Two shot dead and two hurt as gunman burst into house

A teenager and a man in his 30s were murdered and two other men were left wounded after a couple of masked gunmen burst into a house in Co Kildare last night and opened fire.

The incident happened at 10.20pm on Rochford Avenue in Kilcock, Co Kildare.

Gardaí said both the deceased were taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown where they were pronounced dead.

There were two Irish men and two foreign nationals in the house at the time. All four were shot when the gunmen forced there way across the threshold.

The nationality of the dead men was not revealed last night and it was not known what the motive behind the double killing was.

One of the gunmen carried a handgun and the other a shotgun. It was reported that a number of rounds were fired before they fled.

The two injured men were taken to Tallaght and the Mater hospitals respectively. The seriousness of their injuries was not clear last night.

The State pathologist’s office was due to arrange post mortems on the dead men.

The scene in Kilcock was sealed off for a full technical examination.

The Garda confirmed the details of the murders and said all circumstances surrounding the case were being investigated.

However, a statement said no arrests had been made and that enquiries were ongoing.

Rochford Avenue is close to the Grand Canal in Kilcock. It is an estate of large semi-detached houses built in recent years. It leads down into a cul de sac and a large green area surrounded by houses.

Escape routes out of the Rochford estate lead onto the Penwall Lodge Road and Connaght Street.

Gardaí in Leixlip have appealed for information and can be contacted on 01-6667800 or on the Garda confidential line at 1800 666111.