Bouncer’s killers trained to use guns in Florida

A DRUGS boss who ordered the killing of a nightclub bouncer sent members of his gang to America to train for the mission.

It is believed the men flew to Florida for a week a few months ago under the guise of a sports team.

The gang were already well equipped with automatic weapons but their leader was concerned that they didn’t have proper training. He was worried that letting them train in Ireland was too risky and decided to send them to a specialist training school in Florida to practice their marksmanship.

“You can go on a gun course there like getting a driving lesson. If somebody doesn’t know how to use an

automatic weapon the bullets will fly everywhere,” a garda source said.

Senior gardaí believe they now know the identity of the killers who brutally murdered father-of-two Brian Fitzgerald outside his home in Corbally, Co Limerick, early last Friday morning.

It is believed Mr Fitzgerald, who was head of security at Doc’s nightclub, was killed because he refused to let the drugs gang deal in the disco.

Mr Fitzgerald, 34, had told gardaí he had received a death threat from a man he claimed was a gangland boss.

He said he life was threatened as he had blocked drugs coming into the nightclub. The complaint was investigated and a man was charged and brought before the courts. But Mr Fitzgerald subsequently withdrew that statement, possibly because of further intimidation and concern for the safety of his family, and the case was never dealt with by the courts.

Last Friday morning, two men were waiting on a motorcycle as Mr Fitzgerald drove into Brookhaven Walk at 3.45am on his way back from work. Mr Fitzgerald, who was described as a man of principle and devoted to his family, was shot twice as he ran from the car.

After he fell to the ground one of the killers went over and shot him again in the back of the head.

He died 80 yards from his home. After the killing his employer, Sean O’Doherty, described Mr Fitzgerald as a dedicated father and husband who was just doing his duty.

Garda ballistics experts recovered 9mm bullets from the scene consistent with being fired from automatic weapons.