Gardaí: fatal shooting of 25-year-old father ‘absolute tragedy’

GARDAÍ investigating the gun murder of a father-of-two yesterday said they were making progress with their inquiries.

Ian Tobin, aged 25, died on Tuesday after three days on a life-support machine, surrounded by his partner, parents and siblings.

The labourer, described as a “decent lad” by gardaí, was due to get married next year.

“He was a good young fella, hard working, in a long-term relationship and with two young children. It’s an absolute tragedy for his family,” said a garda source.

Mr Tobin, from Whitechapel Lawn, Blanchardstown, west Dublin, received fatal wounds to his neck when he was shot at a friend’s house in nearby Fortlawn Park in Clonsilla at around 5.30am last Sunday.

A single shot was fired through a side window at the front door of the house when he pulled back the curtains and looked out.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy carried out a post mortem examination at James Connolly Memorial Hospital yesterday. It found Mr Tobin suffered a severe loss of blood as a result of shotgun wounds.

Gardaí yesterday said they were investigating a number of lines of inquiry and were ruling nothing out.

But a senior source said officers were “reasonably happy” with the progress to date.

A man was arrested in Blanchardstown on Tuesday and questioned under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. He was detained on suspicion of holding information in relation to the unlawful possession of firearms on the night in question.

He was expected to be kept in custody overnight and is due for release at 11.30am today, unless gardaí seek another 24 hours’ detention on application to the courts.

Detectives have appealed to anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Fortlawn/Blanchardstown area between 5am and 6am to contact them.

The gunman was said to be reasonably tall and was wearing a dark motorcycle jacket and a helmet.

Officers are not yet sure if the gunman acted alone or had an accomplice driving the getaway motorbike. The bike was found completely burnt out in nearby Sheepmore.

Gardaí continued house-to-house inquiries in the area yesterday and were examining CCTV footage.

Detectives will investigate if there are any links with previous shootings and attempted murders in the Fortlawn area.