A pair of diners who grabbed knives from tables and stabbed three staff in a Chinese restaurant because they were dissatisfied with a meal were being sought yesterday by gardaí.
Three staff, two of them female, at the Magic Wok Restaurant in Charlestown, Co Mayo, were treated at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar after the incident late on Sunday night.
All three sustained what gardaí describe as superficial wounds.
One sustained a hand injury, another sustained a head wound, and the third, who is male, was wounded in the neck.
Two of the injured were released from hospital immediately after treatment while the third was detained overnight.
It is understood that two men being sought by gardaí for questioning are members of the Travelling community and had been attending a First Communion celebration in Charlestown earlier in the day.
Insp Martin Byrne of Swinford Garda station said yesterday that the suspects, who are both in their twenties, left Charlestown in camper vans travelling in the direction of Ballaghaderreen.
"The attack was not that frenzied but very distressing for the victims," Insp Byrne said. "We are still trying to ascertain the full facts and we are in the process of taking statements. An interpreter will be necessary for us to carry out our work."
It is understood there were few customers in the restaurant when the incident took place around 10pm.
There was a disturbance initially in the restaurant which later moved into the kitchen area.
The incident was strongly condemned yesterday by Cllr Gerry Murray (Sinn Féin), who said there was an urgent need for extra Garda resources to be deployed in Charlestown.
"Over the last three years, the Charlestown community has been subject to a serious increase in anti-social behaviour and petty crime," Mr Murray said.