A number of licensed firearms, including at least one rifle, together with ammunition, has been seized by gardaí as part of their ongoing investigations into the shooting of a soccer player, who sustained a gunshot wound on the field of play, during a match held in Rearcross, Co Tipperary on January 6th 2024.
The injured male victim had been playing for ‘Rearcross FC’ against ‘Ballymackey FC’, in a Junior B match in Division 2 of the Tipperary and District League, latter being held under floodlights; when the shooting incident happened. Paramedics had treated the man at the scene, before he was later removed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, (UHL) to have the projectile removed.
Gardaí have confirmed that an informant had spoken to Nenagh, Gardaí in Co. Tipperary, thus helping them with their investigations into this regrettable incident.
The firearms and ammunition seized will now be sent to the Garda Ballistics Section located in Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, for further testing; thus ascertaining if the weapon and ammunition used match the bullet retrieved from the injured player’s arm.
Investigating Gardaí in Nenagh District had suspected that the matter was the result of a freak accident and that the man was hit by a stray bullet from a hunter’s rifle. For this reason, to date, no arrests have been made, but Gardaí now feel that they are following a definite line of enquiry.
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