One man is being questioned by gardaí investigating an attempted armed robbery at the home of a Dublin family during which two shots were fired.
A second raider involved in the incident in the west of the city late on Monday escaped the scene and was being sought by gardaí last night. Two firearms were found at the scene after the victims of the raid alerted gardaí.
The raiders targeted the home of a businessman at Virginia Heights, Blessington Road, Tallaght, at 11.30pm. The man, his wife and two adult sons were at home at the time.
Two masked raiders, one armed with a single barrel shotgun and the other with a handgun, burst into the house and demanded money from the family. The family locked themselves into a downstairs room as one of the raiders discharged a shot.
The men believed the upstairs of the house was occupied and, as they climbed the stairs to investigate, one of them discharged a second shot.
The family alerted gardaí immediately and an unarmed uniform Garda patrol arrived at the scene while the robbery attempt was still under way.
The raiders fled the scene when they realised gardaí had been called. One of them was arrested nearby after attempting to outrun gardaí.
The two firearms, balaclavas and a change of clothing were found as that man, who is in his 30s, was being arrested. The second raider escaped after running through a neighbour's house.
Gardaí believe he may have injured his hand as he banged on the door of the house in an effort to get the occupants to let him in. Gardaí searching for him are working on a definite line of inquiry.
The arrested man was taken to Tallaght Garda station where he was being question last night under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
No money was taken during the raid and none of the occupants of the house were injured. Gardaí are working on the theory that the would-be robbers believed the owner of the house, who works in the construction industry, kept money at his home.
The scene was sealed off on Monday night and a full technical examination was carried out yesterday. Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to contact Tallaght Garda station on (01) 6666000.
