GARDAI are investigating a possible connection between a robbery at a Co Meath supermarket, in which a legally held shotgun was fired, and a man who was admitted to a Dublin hospital with pellet wounds to his legs.
The gun was discharged during the break in at Kearney's supermarket in Kilmessan at about 3 a.m. A number of men broke into the premises by smashing a glass door with a rock. While grabbing a quantity of cigarettes, they were disturbed by the owner. The raiders then escaped in a black Mazda car.
Shortly after 4 a.m. a man was admitted to James Connolly Memorial hospital at Blanchardstown, west Dublin, with gunshot wounds to his legs. At 4 a.m., gardai received an anonymous telephone call [claiming gunshots had been heard in the Sheepmore area of Blanchardstown. This could, not be confirmed by gardai who investigated the claim. However, they did establish that a 20 year old west Dublin man was admitted shortly after 4 a.m. to James Connolly Memorial hospital with pellet wounds. His condition was described by a hospital spokeswoman as stable.
An incident took place at the Kilmessan supermarket in December 1985, subsequent to which a man, who had a pellet lodged in his head, sued the supermarket owners for compensation. He was unsuccessful.
Yesterday Mr Michael Kearney and his wife received treatment for shock. A relative said the supermarket had been raided "several times". Last summer two young men took two tills from the premises.
