Longford attempted murder leaves 'fear within the community' almost one year on
At around 7.45pm on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, a Navy Blue BMW 3 series car, with NI/GB registration plates, entered the Springlawn Estate in Longford town.
The car drove around a green area, before stopping outside the victim's house, while local children were playing. As the BMW car stopped a male suspect carrying a sawn-off shotgun got out of the front passenger seat and approached the driveway of the house.
Almost simultaneously a rear-seat passenger who had stepped out of the car began to hold up a mobile phone as if recording the incident.
After the incident both suspects then returned to the car and it drove away at speed. The victim, a 74-year-old man, received hospital treatment for his injuries and is continuing his recovery.
Gardaí said the car is seen on CCTV on Ballinalee Road shortly before entering the Spring Lawn estate. A few minutes after the incident it again travelled along the Ballinalee Road as it left the Springlawn area.
It then turned left onto the Dublin Road, continuing through the roundabout onto the N4 in the Dublin direction.
After around 1.5km it is known to have turned right at Fallon's Hardware, stopping in the laneway of a nearby farm. Here, the suspects set the car on fire, which was later recovered by Gardaí, totally destroyed.
Gardaí are continuing to appeal for witnesses, as they stress that they understand there has been "fear within the community" and want to "reassure" the public they are determined to bring the perpetrators to justice.
A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardaí want to emphasise to the community of Longford that every resource has been deployed to investigate this incident and prevent any reoccurrence of a similar crime taking place.
"While acknowledging that there has been fear within the community they want to reassure them of their determination to bring those involved before the courts."
Gardaí are now asking the public:
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