Machete attack at store is probed
GARDAI were last night probing a machete attack in a small village.
A man was seriously injured in the incident in Clarecastle, Co Clare, on Sunday evening.
Two masked men stormed a shop in the village and attacked two customers.
One victim, a man in his 20s, was left with serious injuries in the attack – while a youth who was with him was also injured, but not seriously.
A female customer in her 50s who was in the shop was also injured in the incident, but she was not badly hurt. Sources have told us the attackers escaped in a car which was later found burned out near Ballyea, around seven kilometres south west of Clarecastle.
Gardai were last night trying to establish a motive for the attack and have appealed for witnesses.
A spokesman said officers at Ennis station are investigating the attack.
They added: “Shortly before 1pm, it’s reported two men entered a retail premises and assaulted two males before fleeing the scene in a car.
“One of the injured males, aged in his 20s, is currently being treated for serious injuries in hospital. The other injured male, a youth in his late teens, received treatment in hospital for non-life threatening injuries and has since been released.”
The spokesman added: “Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the Clarecastle area between 12.45pm and 1.15pm are asked to make this footage available to Gardai.
“Any persons who were in Clarecastle at these times and observed any activity which drew their attention are also asked to come forward.”