Second tragedy for family of fatal shooting victim

A family whose 14-year-old son died after falling into a coma in a Garda station 10 years ago, were last night “devastated and shocked” after an older son was shot dead in an early morning attack.

Shane Rossiter, 30, was pronounced dead in hospital shortly after being shot at least twice at a house in the village of Golden, Co Tipperary, at about 6.30am.

He was a brother of Brian Rossiter, who died three days after being taken into custody at Clonmel Garda Station in Sept 2002. The case prompted a number of inquiries and led to a High Court settlement between the State and his parents Pat and Siobhán Rossiter.

Mr Rossiter said yesterday he didn’t know why his son was killed. “I don’t have any idea why anything happened,” he said. “We’re just trying to piece it together.”

Gardaí were reportedly looking at two theories — that Mr Rossiter was killed because of a feud or debt involving a local drug-dealing gang, or that he was mistakenly shot by gangsters who sought another man, from Dublin, who was in the house in Golden yesterday.

It is understood Mr Rossiter’s family do not believe Shane Rossiter was involved in major crime.

In a statement last night, the family — through the victim’s uncle Michael Keating — said they were “devastated and shocked by his tragic death” and were finding it hard to come to terms with what happened.

“To get that news this morning is just unbelievable really. He’ll be sadly missed by his family, his parents and brothers and sister. He has a wide circle of friends.”

Mr Keating described Shane Rossiter as “a happy-go-lucky chap… very much at ease with his brothers and sisters” and “very family-oriented”. He enjoyed playing football when younger and “just liked having a good time, and wasn’t different to any other person in his age group”. The family also appealed for privacy.

A postmortem was performed on his body yesterday at Waterford Regional Hospital while gardaí sealed off the scene of the shooting at Chapel Lane to allow a forensic examination be carried out.

The house was at the end of a terrace of three, close to the church in Golden.

Shane Rossiter spent some time in prison before moving to Australia in 2008. He returned to Ireland in the last few months.

Liam O’Sullivan, proprietor of the nearby Spar shop, said he heard some bangs but “didn’t know” what they were at the time. One staff member said she heard “two shots” at about 6.30am and then saw gardaí and ambulances arrive at the scene.

Local resident Geraldine Cash said she only realised something happened when morning Mass didn’t go ahead at the church. “It’s such a pity because we have a lovely village but it’s tainted now, isn’t it?”

It was reported that Shane Rossiter was lately staying with his partner, who is from the Golden area.

Local Fine Gael councillor Michael Fitzgerald said people in Golden were “shocked” and “frightened” by what happened in their village. “I suppose it’s a sad statement of the times we live in. It’s not just Dublin’s problem any more but is spreading out throughout the country.”