Man in critical condition after machete attack outside Eurospar in Cobh

Gardaí have begun an investigation into an assault that has left a man in his 30s fighting for his life after he suffered serious injuries when he was attacked by a man with a machete in the car park of a shop in Cobh in east Cork.

The victim suffered serious injuries to his leg and suffered extensive blood loss when he was attacked by the lone assailant armed with a machete at the Eurospar carpark on Newtown Road at about 8pm on Friday night.

The man collapsed on the ground after being struck on the leg and passersby raced to his assistance, but it’s understood that he suffered extensive blood loss before paramedics arrived and managed to staunch the bleeding.

The man was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for his injuries but according to the Garda Press Office, he remains in a critical condition in the hospital on Saturday morning.

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Gardaí have begun harvesting CCTV footage from the area to try and identify the attacker whom it’s believed arrived and fled the scene in a car and they have appealed to anyone who witnessed the attack or may have camera footage to contact them.

Officers cordoned off an area in the Eurospar car park and garda technical experts have begun an examination of the scene in the hope of finding any evidence or clues that might assist them in identifying the culprit for the attack which one officer described as “absolutely horrific”.

Gardaí say that they are keeping an open mind at this stage on a motive for the attack on the victim who is from Cobh town and they have asked anyone who can assist them in their investigation to contact them at Cobh Garda Station on 021 4908530 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

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