Two men have been arrested and up to 100 gardaí are involved in an investigation into two raids in Co Wexford.
The two, aged in their 20s, were arrested in a car park in Courtown this evening.
A postmistress and her son were shot in one of the raids at the post office in Oulart.
Chris Dempsey was shot in the arm and her son John was shot in the leg at 10am this morning.
An 8km cordon was set up around the village and a wider search is also under way.
The raiders demanded money from the postmistress, before shooting the 66-year-old in the arm when she was behind the counter.
They then shot Mr Dempsey as he emerged from a door at the back of the post office. He received a shotgun blast to the leg.
An elderly customer in the post office at the time was uninjured.
The raiders took a few hundred euro before fleeing to a waiting getaway car.
Gardaí have launched a massive search involving armed detective, garda air support and members of the emergency response unit.
Both mother and son have been taken to hospital and they are undergoing surgery.
Neither are described as having life-threatening injuries.
Gardaí believe the raiders also attempted to rob a hotel in Kilmuckridge early this morning.
The raid occurred at 4am at Seán Óg's Hotel where the night porter was threatened and tied up. The four raiders failed to rob the night safe.
They made their get away in a blue mini-cooper, which was later found burnt out south of Gorey. The car had an 11 D reg.
