Gardai baffled over two fatal shootings in 12 hours

Gardai baffled over two fatal shootings in 12 hours

By Paul Melia

Monday July 21 2008

GARDAI have issued an appeal for witnesses to two fatal gangland-style shootings in Dublin less than 12 hours apart.

Detectives investigating the death of 33-year-old Trevor Walsh in Finglas, less than 12 hours after the shooting dead of Anthony Foster in Coolock, have so far ruled out any connection between the two.

But garda sources say they are continuing to explore all possible motives for the two murders.

Mr Walsh (33) died in a hail of bullets outside a house at Kippure Park in Finglas in an apparently planned attack at 12.20am on Saturday morning.

The dead man was released from prison just two days earlier after serving a sentence for possession of ammunition, and gardai suspect his killer may have been following him since his release.

Mr Walsh had 47 previous convictions and was coming home after a night out socialising when he was approached by his killer, who was wearing a hooded top.

He was shot in the head and chest at least four times, before his killer fled the scene on a bicycle. He was rushed to James Connolly Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Anyone with information is asked to contact gardai in Finglas at 01 6667500 or at the garda confidential line on 1800 666111. No funeral arrangements have been released.

Mr Walsh became the eighth victim of gangland violence so far this year, joining Anthony Foster (34), who died just 11 hours earlier. His was the first gangland-style murder in three months.

Dead

The convicted drug dealer was shot dead at Cromcastle Court in Coolock in broad daylight as he left a flat with his girlfriend to collect his children from a creche.

He was hit by a shotgun blast as he walked down the stairs from his top-floor flat around 1.45pm and was dead when gardai arrived on the scene. His partner was uninjured.

The killer escaped on a motorcycle which may have been stolen earlier in the day from a shop on the Malahide Road. The owner was threatened with a shotgun and tied up during the robbery.

Garda sources said last night they were not yet certain why Mr Foster was murdered, but it was possible he had been involved in a dispute with a drug-trafficking gang. No description has been given for a suspect.

Mr Foster was jailed for six years in 2001 for handling cannabis resin worth €30,000 in April 2000.

Gardai have appealed for witnesses who may have seen the gunman near the Coolock flats at lunchtime on Friday to come forward.

Anybody with information is asked to contact the gardai at Santry on 01 6664200 or at the garda confidential line on 1800 666111.

The last gangland victim murdered was drug dealer Anthony Russell, who was gunned down in a pub in Artane, Dublin.

He was a key associate of the leader of one of the north inner city feuding gangs, Christy Griffin, but gardai have ruled out any connection between that shooting and Mr Foster's death.

- Paul Melia