A man is in danger of losing an eye after a shooting incident in Limerick early yesterday morning.
Mr David Heighton (26), from St Mary's Park in Limerick, was shot while walking home at 2.15 a.m.
He suffered injuries to his face and chest after being blasted with a shotgun.
He was rushed to the Mid- Western Regional Hospital, where his condition was described last night as "serious but stable".
It is understood the victim had been involved in a dispute with another man from the same area earlier that night.
Gardaí are also investigating reports that shots were fired at the windows of a house also in St Mary's Park earlier yesterday evening.
No-one was injured in this shooting, which happened at 5.40 p.m.
It is not yet known if the incidents are linked.
Yesterday's victim was on his way home when he was shot near shops on St Ita's Street in St Mary's Park shortly after 2 a.m.
The injured man rang his girlfriend to say he had been injured and an ambulance was called to the scene.
It is understood a shotgun was used in the attack but gardaí last night had not recovered any weapon.
The motive for the attack is thought to be linked to a dispute the injured man had with another individual earlier that night and is not related to any gangland feud.
"The victim suffered injuries to his face and neck area and could be in danger of losing an eye," said a Garda source.
"The incident is still under investigation, but it may be linked to a dispute the victim was involved in with another individual earlier that night," he added.
Yesterday's gun attack was the second shooting in Limerick in less than three days in which a person was seriously injured.
Last Sunday morning Mr Aaron O'Brien (22), from Delmege Park in Moyross, Limerick, was shot just yards from his home by a gunman armed with a rifle.
Mr O'Brien was shot in the stomach and underwent life-saving surgery at the Mid Western Regional Hospital on Sunday afternoon.
His condition is now described as stable and gardaí are still investigating the attack, which may be linked to an incident in the Moyross area last week but again was not feud-related.