Man shot dead in Dublin city

13/7/10

Irish Times

A man has been shot dead near a school in Dublin's north inner city.

A Garda spokesman confirmed the incident at about 4.45pm at Sheriff Street.

The victim, understood to be in his 30s, was taken to the nearby Mater hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The scene has been sealed off and Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

The murder is believed to be related to an ongoing feud in the area.

Fine Gael’s justice spokesman Alan Shatter said the murder showed Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has failed in his efforts to tackle gangland violence.

“I deplore the fact that gangland’s lethal campaign has been allowed to continue,” Mr Shatter said. “Innocent lives continue to be placed at risk, and the number of murderous assaults are escalating at an alarming rate.

Christy Burke, a long-serving councillor in the north inner city, said: “It’s appalling that there’s been another tragedy, another murder, on the streets of Dublin in broad daylight where there is a Garda presence because of feuding gangs and another family has to bury a loved one.”

It is understood a crowd of local residents confronted gardaí after they arrived at the scene.

The area has seen round-the-clock armed Garda patrols on narrow streets a stone’s throw from the International Financial Services Centre for several years.

They were introduced to stop a bloody feud between two major crime factions in the Sheriff Street area.