Gardaí investigating a fatal stabbing in Mallow, Co Cork have issued an appeal to a young man from the town to come forward to assist them in their inquiries.
Officers investigating the fatal stabbing of Conor Quinn (24) upgraded their investigation to murder after a portmortem was carried out by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster.
The results of the postmortem were not released for operational reasons but it is understood that Mr Quinn died from a single stab wound to the chest.
Mr Quinn, a native of Loughrea, Co Galway, had moved in recent months to live in Killavullen in North Cork. It is understood that he got out of a car with another man on Bridge Street in Mallow at around 8.30pm on Thursday and approached a local in his late teens .
A row then broke out and Mr Quinn suffered a stab wound to the chest. He collapsed on the street and the assailant fled but the incident was witnessed by a number of people including the deceased’s friend.
An ambulance happened to be passing at the time and paramedics attended to Mr Quinn at the scene before taking him to Cork University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Gardaí cordoned off the scene of the attack on Thursday night, where a forensic examination was carried out on Friday morning, and also began reviewing CCTV footage from the area.
Weapon
A search opertaion was underway for the suspected attacker in north Cork and Cork city. Officers were also attempting to find the weapon used in the attack.
Gardaí at Mallow, led by Supt Billy Dwane, are investigating the incident and have appealed to anyone who can assist the investigation to contact them on (022) 31450.
It is understood that one line of inquiry that gardaí are pursuing is that the incident may have been linked to an earlier row at Cahirmee Horse Fair in Buttevant on Thursday.
Mr Quinn's killing is the fourth in Cork in the space of six weeks and follows the death of father of four Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell (36) during a row at Willie Andies Bar in Mitchelstown on June 1st. A man has since been charged with Mr O'Donnell's murder.
Micholaj Wilk, a Polish father of two, died nine days later at Cork University Hospital after suffering multiple slash and hacking wounds when he was attacked by a masked gang armed with machetes at his home at Bridge House near Ballincollig. Nobody has been arrested or charged to date in connection with his death.
On July 2nd, the body of pensioner Joe O'Callaghan (66) was found his bungalow in Galway's Lane, Douglas. A postmortem confirmed that he died a violent death and a man (21) later presented himself at Togher Garda station and was arrested for questioning. He was later released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
