Gardaí hunt 3 men after fatal doorstep stabbing

Gardaí last night were hunting for three men who carried out a savage doorstep stabbing which left a man dead.

Gerard Burnett, 28, was pronounced dead at James Connolly Memorial Hospital after he was stabbed up to 10 times having answered the door of his house on Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, in west Dublin.

Mr Burnett, who had recently moved into the property with his partner and her young child, answered the door at around 11.40pm on Tuesday.

Following the attack, the men fled on foot into nearby Drumheath Estate, while emergency services went to the scene. Both Mr Burnett’s partner and her toddler are understood to have been with him outside the front of the house when emergency personnel arrived.

When medics arrived, Mr Burnett was unconscious. Despite the efforts of those attending to him, he was pronounced dead at James Connolly Hospital shortly afterwards.

Mr Burnett previously lived at 54 Drumheath Avenue in Mulhuddart and had a criminal record.

Gardaí believe this was not a random attack, however, they are uncertain as to the exact motive for the crime.

State pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy conducted a postmortem on Mr Burnett’s body yesterday, while gardaí continued to examine the sealed-off area outside his home.

An incident room has been set up in Blanchardstown Garda Station. Gardaí can be contacted at 01-6667000 or 1800-666-111.

Searches were conducted yesterday in the local area in the hope of finding the weapon used in the attack.

It is not known whether Mr Burnett was stabbed by just one of the callers.

Yesterday neighbours reported hearing screaming coming from the front of the house after the attack, and Mr Burnett’s girlfriend shouting “please help me, please take my child”.