WOMAN’S CRAZED KIDNAPPER SHOT DEAD BY GARDAI
Dad of two blasted in head and arm after he confronts officers with knife
A MAN who snatched a woman off the street was shot dead by gardai last night.
Dad-of-two Mark Hennessy was blasted in the head and arm as he confronted officers with a knife in the Cherrywood area of Dublin – 24 hours after abducting Jastine Valdez.
Gardai continued their hunt for the 24-yearold victim after locating Hennessy’s car.
A source said: “There was evidence of her having been in the vehicle but she wasn’t there.”
GARDAI were last night fearing for the safety of missing Jastine Valdez after her kidnapper was shot dead in a car park.
The 24-year-old was snatched from a street in broad daylight on Saturday evening by a man in a black Nissan Qashqai.
Yesterday armed officers swooped on a business site car park in the Cherrywood area of South Dublin, where they were confronted by a man, named as Mark Hennessy, armed with a knife.
They shot the dad of two in his 40s from Woodbrook Lawn in Bray, Co Wicklow, in the head and arm. But there was no sign of Jastine, although there was evidence she had been in the car.
A statement said: “Gardai investigating the disappearance of Jastine Valdez interacted with the driver of a vehicle at approximately 8pm this evening in the Cherrywood area of Dublin.
“An official Garda firearm was discharged. The incident has been referred to GSOC as per protocol.
“Gardai have located a 171 D Nissan Qashqai they had earlier appealed for at the scene of the shooting.
“Gardai continue to appeal for Jastine Valdez and also for anyone who may have seen the movements of the 171 D Nissan Qashqai since yesterday to 8pm today.” Witnesses told of the horrific moment they spotted Jastine screaming for help as she was snatched by a crazed driver.
The horrific incident began in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on Saturday at 6.15pm and has caused a desperate search.
Gardai have appealed for the public to help them find Jastine, a Filipino national living in Enniskerry.
She was last seen leaving her home on Saturday but witnesses have told gardai they saw her being bundled into the black Nissan Qashqai. The car is understood to be registered to a woman living in the general Bray area but was being driven by a man at the time. It was not stolen – gardai have spoken to the owner.
A source also revealed other witnesses observed the young woman in trouble at a number of locations.
They said: “This is deeply worrying and was a horrific experience for these witnesses.
“Bray gardai received a call a woman and her two children were driving near
They heard the screams of a woman as she was bundled into the car SOURCE YESTERDAY
Enniskerry – they heard the screams of an Asian woman as she was being bundled into a car.
“Gardai attended the scene and details were sketchy at the time then a short time later another call came in from a man driving on the N11 or M50. He gave horrific details of seeing an Asian woman in the back of a black jeep banging on the windows screaming for help. The missing persons call came in after that.
“It would be an understatement to say gardai are concerned for her safety.”
Hennessy was not believed to have been known to gardai. A source added: “He has not been in trouble with gardai previously – nothing this serious. He is described as bald and heavy set. He is from the general Bray area and gardai need to talk to him urgently.”
It is understood Jastine’s handbag and phone was found discarded at the scene.
She was studying accountancy in IT Carlow and had been in the country with her family for the past three years.
Local Priest Fr Larry Behan said there is a large Filipino population in the area. He added: “It is terrible to think that would happen to anybody and of course in the community we have many Filipinos to mass and are very much part of the community in Bray and Enniskerry. This is a tragedy and our thoughts and prayers would be with her and her family.”
Meanwhile, gardai continued their appeal. Supt Paul Hogan said: “Last night, Saturday, at 11.20pm we received a report here at Bray Garda station regarding a young lady, Jastine Valdez, a Filipino national.
“She was reported missing by her parents and this was linked to an earlier incident that happened yesterday evening where a female was seen being bundled into a car – that was a black Nissan Qashqai, registration number 171-D-20419. We believe those two incidents are linked.
“This morning we did a search in Enniskerry, near where she is believed to have gone missing from. Her mobile phone was recovered at the side of the road.
“We are asking the public for their support in finding this 24-year-old woman. It is highly unusual for her not to be in contact with her mother.
“We are very concerned for her welfare and safety.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Bray Garda Station 01 6665300 the Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.