BARRY ROCHE and OLIVIA KELLEHER
THE GARDA Ombudsman’s Office last night began an investigation after a gunman was shot by gardaí when he failed to drop a weapon after entering a pub in Cork city and demanding to see the owner.
The man, who was in his 20s, was shot in the stomach and rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. His condition was described by a HSE South spokeswoman as “serious”.
The incident happened at about 6.40pm when the man, armed with a loaded shotgun, entered the Mo Chuisle Bar near the bottom of Blarney Street on the northside of the city and demanded to see the owner of the pub.
Gardaí were alerted and members of the armed regional support unit were mobilised. They entered the pub where it is understood that three armed members of the unit challenged the man and ordered him to drop his weapon.
The man refused to do so and one of the officers discharged a single shot from his Sig 9mm automatic weapon, wounding the man in the stomach whereupon the loaded shotgun was confiscated and the man was rushed to hospital. Link
