Chief Superintendent John Manley has appealed for the public's help in solving the "particularly heinous crime" of the shooting dead of a teenage girl in Tallaght overnight.
A 16-year-old young girl - named locally as Melanie McCarthy, but also known by the surname McNamara - was shot in the head and was rushed into Tallaght Hospital where she later died.
She had been sitting with friends in a car on on Brookview Way in Tallaght.
"I would appeal to the community to reflect on this," Chief Superintendent John Manley said, "and to provide whatever assistance they can give us to investigate this crime."
Superintendent John Gilligan from the garda press office said a black Hyundai Santa Fe with an 07-D registration plate, from which it is believed the fatal shot or shots were fired, was stolen and found abandoned in the Citywest area.
One neighbour said he "heard a big bang…Then I heard there was a girl in hospital."
Another man said: "A couple of us were saying it's only a matter of time before there's a shooting in this estate, with all the carry-on going on. You wouldn't say too much about it in case you'd be a target yourself."
The scene has been sealed off for a full technical examination.
An incident room has been set up a Tallaght garda station and Gardai are appealing for witnesses.
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