Gardaí rule out shooting link with family feud

Gardaí have ruled out a link between a shooting on the southside of Cork City early yesterday, and a family feud elsewhere on the southside.

They were conducting door-to-door enquiries yesterday after recovering the car used in the shooting in the Mahon area in the early hours of yesterday morning.

While they are following several lines of enquiry, they are satisfied the shooting is not connected to a recent petrol bomb attack in Togher, and the discovery of a pipe bomb in Ballyphehane, both of which are linked to a family feud that has already claimed one man’s life, and seen another receive a prison sentence.

The shooting occurred at around 1.50am yesterday off St Michael’s Road, Mahon.

A man armed with a shotgun got out of a car and discharged at least two shots, hitting an unoccupied car in the driveway of a house in St Michael’s Lawn.

Two men standing close to the parked car, and who were uninjured, fled the scene on foot.

The other car, which gardaí believe had at least two occupants, the sped off.

Gardaí found a burned- out 99 MO-registered silver Honda Civic a short time later close to the Shandon Boat Club on the Marina.

They believe it was driven at speed from St Michael’s Lawn past St Michael’s Cemetery, and on to Skehard Road.

They have yet to confirm its exact route but believe it was driven along Castle Road on to the Marina.

Supt Barry McPolin said an incident room has been set up at Blackrock garda station and he appealed to the public for help.

“We would particularly appeal to anyone who may have seen or heard the incident to contact us at Blackrock or Anglesea St garda stations,” he said.

“We would also like to hear from anyone who saw the car coming in to the estate, who saw it speeding off afterwards, or to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the Marina area where the car was burnt out, or who saw people leaving this area in another vehicle around 2am, to come forward.”

Local Sinn Féin Cllr Chris O’Leary called for calm and restraint. “No matter what the differences are, these things should not be settled with violence,” he said. “This is a built-up area with families living here. Innocent parties could be injured.”