“HE SAID HE WAS BEING FOLLOWED” — THEN 16-YEAR-OLD BRYAN LOWE WAS FOUND AFTER A FATAL HIT-AND-RUN

A grieving mother has paid tribute to her 16-year-old son as Gardaí investigate whether he may have been deliberately targeted before a fatal collision in County Clare.

The family of Bryan Lowe, a 16-year-old student from County Clare, is facing an unimaginable loss after the teenager died in a suspected hit-and-run while riding his e-bike.

But as his loved ones prepare to say goodbye, investigators are examining a disturbing question:

Was Bryan being followed shortly before the collision?

Bryan was found unresponsive on the L3050 at Cottage Cross near Cloonlara shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday, September 4. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second vehicle believed to have been involved did not remain at the scene.

“LOVE YOU MY SON. HEARTBROKEN.”

Bryan’s mother, Crystal Lowe, shared an emotional tribute alongside photographs of her son.

“Love you my son. Heartbroken,” she wrote.

The images showed Bryan during happier moments, including family photographs and a picture of him with a dog.

His sister Chloe also paid tribute to her younger brother, describing him as her only brother and the best uncle to her son, Thomas.

She wrote that she struggled to understand how she could tell her nephew that they would never see Bryan again.

The family described the teenager as someone who had his whole life ahead of him.

THE MESSAGE THAT NOW HAS INVESTIGATORS ASKING QUESTIONS

According to reports, Bryan contacted a friend or relative shortly before the incident and said he was being followed or chased.

That detail has become a major part of the investigation.

Gardaí are examining whether Bryan may have been deliberately targeted and whether the people in the vehicle were attempting to steal his e-bike.

However, authorities have not established a motive, and the theory remains under investigation.

The Journal has reported that investigators believe there may have been at least three masked people inside the vehicle.

The vehicle was later reportedly found partially burned out in Castleconnell, County Limerick.

Investigators do not believe the car itself had been stolen.

GARDAÍ ARE LOOKING FOR A SILVER OR GOLD SKODA

Investigators have appealed for information about a silver or gold Skoda Octavia, registration 05-C-5982.

Gardaí want to speak with the driver or occupants of the vehicle, which was believed to have been in the Cloonlara/Castleconnell area between 6 p.m. on September 4 and 11 a.m. on September 5.

They are also asking motorists and residents to check:

• Dashcam footage
• CCTV
• Doorbell cameras
• Any other recordings from the area

Even footage that appears insignificant could potentially help investigators reconstruct Bryan’s final movements.

“AN ABSOLUTE GENTLEMAN”

Bryan was a sixth-year student at St Munchin’s College in Limerick.

His school community has described him as kind, respectful and warm-hearted.

Deputy principal Lorraine Shiels said Bryan was an “absolute gentleman” who would do anything asked of him without complaint.

She said he had a “lovely kindness” and a “big heart,” adding that he should have been looking ahead to his Leaving Certificate, his future and the possibilities ahead of him.

Instead, his classmates and teachers are now mourning his loss.

A CASE THAT MAY BE MORE THAN A HIT-AND-RUN

What initially appeared to be a tragic road collision has now raised much broader questions.

Why did Bryan reportedly tell someone he was being followed?

Who was inside the Skoda?

Why did the vehicle leave the scene?

And what happened in the minutes before Bryan was found on the roadside?

Those questions remain unanswered.

Gardaí are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Bryan’s death and have urged anyone with information to come forward.

For his family, however, the investigation is unfolding alongside a devastating reality.

A 16-year-old boy who should have been preparing for his future is gone.

And his loved ones are left waiting for answers about what happened on that road that night.