By Elliot Foster
Katie Taylor has urged the media to leave her name out of any story regarding the shooting of her father.
The Bray woman, 31, is the WBA and IBF female lightweight world champion.
Taylor was forced to deal with the news that her Dad, Peter, 57, had been shot on Tuesday morning at Bray Boxing Club.
But while she sent her heartfelt condolences to the family of Bobby Messett, the man killed in the incident, Taylor slated those who were working on the story.
"I have been appalled by the misuse of my name and image during the reporting of this incident in the media coverage,” she said after learning that her Dad is expected to go into surgery on Friday at Dublin's St Vincent's Hospital for the removal of the bullet that travelled through his arm and into his chest. “It has been reckless and irresponsible and a deliberate attempt to inappropriately leverage my name to sell a story.
“I urge the media to leave me, my Mum and other family members out of this story.”
Peter Taylor was beginning his boxing boot camp at the club when a gunman stormed the building and killed 50-year-old Messett.
Taylor, Ian Britton, 35, and an off-duty fireman were also injured in the attack.
"For my Dad, I’m very thankful and relieved he made it through this horrific attack and is recovering well,” Katie added. “I understand there is still a lot of uncertainty about the nature of the incident but I’m hoping the gardaí will get to the bottom of it very soon.
“I have been somewhat estranged from my Dad for a number of years now. I’ve had little contact with him in the last three years and no contact or association whatsoever with Bray Boxing Club since 2015.”
