Gardaí appeal over drive-by shooting that left pensioner hospitalised
The armed suspect outside the home of the 74-year-old man in Longford town
Gardaí have issued a renewed appeal in a bid to find the perpetrators behind a drive-by shooting in a midlands town that left a pensioner in his 70s with serious injuries in hospital.
Two shots from a sawn-off shotgun were fired through the front living room window of the pensioner's home in Longford town's Springlawn housing estate on July 17 last year.
The injured man, who has no involvement in crime, spent a number of days in hospital after one of the bullets struck the grandfather in the upper arm.
The downstairs living room of the house in the Springlawn area of Longford town which was the subject of a drive-by shooting on July 17 last year.
A dark blue coloured BMW, which was seen entering the estate at around 7:30pm, was later found burned out a short time later after it was driven down a narrow laneway just off the main Longford to Edgeworthstown road.
Follow up forensic tests carried out on the 3 Series BMW later confirmed the charred remains of the vehicle belonged to the same vehicle which gardaí remain satisfied was used by the suspects in making their getaway.
Gardaí are hoping the release of CCTV footage taken from the scene and of the suspects involved, one of which can be seen videoing the shooting on his mobile phone, will strike a chord with the wider public.
The charred remains of the burnt out car which was located down a laneway just beyond Fallon's Hardware and off the main N4 between Longford and Edgeworthstown.
Despite an extensive garda investigation that has followed in the 12 months since, no arrests or breakthroughs into the investigation have been made.
In an attempt to breathe new life into those efforts, a fresh and renewed appeal was brought to RTÉ's Crimecall programme last night.
'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,' said a garda spokesperson.
The armed suspect outside the home of the 74-year-old man in Longford town
The masked gunman is captured on CCTV brandishing a sawn off shotgun moments before the shooting.
'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.'
Anyone with information is asked to contact Longford Garda Station on (043) 3350570, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or email crimecall@garda.ie
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