‘You wonder why someone would do this...especially for just a few bob’
FAMILIES in Edenmore in north Dublin have been left stunned and fearful following the shooting of two men at a local takeaway.
Like much of the country, locals had gathered in a pub to count down the final moments of 2018 and welcome in the new year. In this instance, it was a local just a few hundred metres away from Mizzoni’s Pizzas in Edenmore.
However, as the celebrations continued just minutes into 2019, two staff members at the takeaway were shot by a lone gunman in a terrifying raid.
“You should have seen it last night. There was squad cars and armed response [gardaí] everywhere. We hadn’t a clue what was going on,” one local resident said.
While there have been robberies at businesses in the area, the fact that two innocent people were shot as they went about their work has left people very fearful.
One woman, who asked not to be named, lives in a nearby estate and said she often tries to avoid the area where the shooting took place.
She said she was still shocked this could happen on her own doorstep.
“You wonder why someone would do this, especially if it was just for a couple of bob.
“It’s really awful that someone would come in with guns like that.”
A 38-year-old man, understood to be the manager of the shop, was shot in the chest while another man, aged 28, was shot in the abdomen in the brutal attack.
Both men were taken to Beaumont Hospital where their injuries were described as not life-threatening.
Gardaí later arrested two men, and they were being questioned at Coolock and Raheny garda stations last night.
There was a heavy Garda presence at the scene yesterday as detectives continued their investigation, and it remained cordoned off until late yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, passing motorists stopped to take photos of the area.
The newsagent, pharmacy and launderette next door to the takeaway remained closed behind Garda tape.
Residents commented on the growing trend of robberies in the area, pointing to a bookmakers and newsagent which they said had come under attack in the past 12 months.
“Every single week you hear of somewhere being done,” one woman said.
Meanwhile, staff in a nearby restaurant said they were shocked to see gardaí when they arrived to open their shop yesterday.
“We thought this was a nice area since we opened – it’s crazy,” said one worker.
“When we arrived today I just saw the guards and I didn’t know what happened.”
Meanwhile, gardaí have appealed for witnesses to come forward.