GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING the shooting of a man in his 50s in Co Waterford on Sunday night confirmed they are no longer treating the shooting as suspicious and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Gardaí now believe that John Michael Kelly from Coolbeggan, Tallow, Co Waterford, may have been injured by an accidental discharge of a rifle that he was carrying.
They are continuing to search for the weapon in the woodlands where he was injured.
Mr Kelly suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach and initial reports suggested he may have been shot after he came upon an unoccupied blue jeep while walking in the woodlands near his home at around 1.15pm on Sunday.
But gardaí have spoken to an individual who met Mr Kelly in the woodlands and they are satisfied that initial reports they received were incorrect.
They are now satisfied that there was nothing suspicious about the shooting.
Mr Kelly underwent emergency surgery at Cork University Hospital on Sunday night. This was to remove a bullet from his abdomen.
A hospital spokeswoman last night said Mr Kelly was in “a critical but stable condition”.
Gardaí are hoping to be given the go-ahead by doctors in the coming days to speak to Mr Kelly to clarify the confusion over initial reports that he may have been shot deliberately or accidentally by another person.
They are also hoping that Garda ballistics experts will identify the make and model of the gun used in the shooting after they examined a bullet recovered from Mr Kelly’s body.
The Garda are continuing to search for a gun they believed was used in the shooting.
