Laneway may have been blocked to allow attacker kill victim, say gardaí

GARDAÍ believe a father of two brutally stabbed to death in a Dublin laneway was murdered after his 4x4 was blocked in by his attacker.

The 42-year-old man, named locally as Paul Keegan, was stabbed up to four times around his upper body.

A murder hunt was launched yesterday as forensic gardaí sealed off the bloody scene in a narrow lane, behind a row of houses at Beechfield Road, Walkinstown, Dublin.

The fatal attack began when the 4x4 Mr Keegan and his friend were in drove up the alleyway at about 9pm on Monday.

Another vehicle is believed to have blocked their way through the alley. Gardaí believe an argument broke out during which Mr Keegan was fatally attacked.

His male friend managed to escape to a nearby house, where he contacted emergency services.

Gardaí arrived at the scene and the victim was taken to St James’s Hospital but was pronounced dead.

A search of the scene immediately began and a gun was found nearby. It remained unclear last night whether the weapon was linked to the alley stabbing.

Gardaí are trying to establish a motive for the attack.

Road rage is looking increasingly unlikely as the cause for the fatal stabbing.

The investigation, being led by Superintendent Bart Faulkner, is focusing on what directly took place before the fight.

It remained unclear yesterday if more than one person was occupying the vehicle that blocked the victim’s 4x4.

Garda spokesman Superintendent Kevin Donoghue said: “A jeep was in the laneway, the deceased was found lying beside it to the front.

“We’re satisfied at this stage that another vehicle of some shape and size was in the laneway. We’re satisfied they probably made an escape in a vehicle.”

A number of lock-ups in the laneway are used for businesses and gardaí searched the surroundings yesterday as well as the grounds of nearby Beechfield Park.

It is thought Mr Keegan was not known to gardaí. He is believed to have had addresses in Inchicore, Dublin, as well as in Co Meath.

* Witnesses who were in the Beechfield Road, Beechfield Park and Cherryfield Park area between 8.30pm and 9.30pm and saw anything suspicious are asked to contact Sundrive Garda Station on 01-6666200.