Man shot after searching for golf balls in a lake
Man shot at Irish golf club after looking for golf balls.
A man searching for lake balls at an Irish golf club has been shot after being mistaken for an animal by hunters.
According to the Irish Independent, it is believed to have been an accidental shooting.
The incident happened late at night (11pm) at Corrstown Golf Club, 14 miles north of Dublin, and led to the man, said to be in his 40s, being wounded.
Police claim a group of hunters noticed movement in the low light and fired at what they thought was an animal.
The man, who was wearing a wetsuit, was rushed to hospital after being wounded in his upper body.
But it's understood he will survive.
It's not yet clear if the man was an employee of the golf club.
Thieves have been prosecuted in the United Kingdon in previous years for diving into lakes to retreve golf balls.
A firearm used by the group of hunters has been seized by investigators, but it was reportedly a legally held weapon.
Police have said they are not treating the incident as suspicious and they believe the shooting was accidental.
A source told the Irish Independent:
Irish broadcaster RTE report how emergency services on the scene said the victim was "extremely fortunate not to have been fatally injured."
