A BLAST from a shotgun discharged from an illegal Traveller halting site triggered a major dawn operation by gardaí in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, yesterday.
Members of the armed regional support unit, as well as uniformed gardaí, raided the encampment at 7.30am. A helicopter from the Garda Air Support Unit was also involved in the operation.
Supt Ronan Galligan said no firearms were found in the three-hour search of cars, jeeps, caravans and the surrounding countryside.
However, some items of property including what Supt Galligan described as weapons, were taken from the site at the Link Road, Ballyhaunis, for forensic examination.
He would not elaborate on what the weapons were except to explain they were not firearms. The other items seized by the gardaí were described by the superintendent as “light industrial property”.
An incident on Tuesday in which a member of the public working in the vicinity received superficial wounds when a shotgun was discharged sparked yesterday’s search operation.
The victim received two pellet wounds. Gardaí do not believe he was intentionally targeted.
No arrests were made yesterday. Gardaí said their investigation into the shooting was continuing.