Shooting ‘a case of mistaken identity’

DUBLIN man recovering in hospital from a shotgun wound may have been the victim of mistaken identity, gardaí said yesterday.

Rodney Vickers, 28, was shot as he stood in the closed doorway of his home on St Donagh’s Road, Kilbarrack, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Gardaí investigating the crime admit they are somewhat baffled by the incident, as they have failed to establish an apparent motive for the attack.

Detectives are now focusing on the possibility that the attackers were given the wrong information about the identity of their intended target.

They are also examining the likelihood that the gunman was looking for another man from the area who is understood to owe money to a local drug dealer.

Two men on a silver-coloured motorcycle pulled up outside the house, before the pillion passenger fired a number of shots through the front door at around 12.10am.

The victim, who lives with his mother, received injuries to his arm and back as he walked into the hallway.

One detective said: “He’s a very lucky man, as this could easily have been a fatal assault.”

The attackers were seen by a number of witnesses making their escape in the direction of Donaghmede.

Emergency crews arrived quickly on the scene and brought the injured man to the nearby Beaumont Hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.

Detectives yesterday sealed off the scene of the shooting for technical examination.

Gardaí at Coolock believe the incident was a case of mistaken identity, as the victim had not come to the attention of the authorities before.

They have also ruled out any link between the attack and a number of recent shootings in the Finglas area, which have been connected to rivalry between members of different criminal gangs on the city’s northside.

Coolock gardaí have also issued an appeal to members of the public for further assistance.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the station at [phone].