Gun victim had survived 3 attempts on his life
Across the road, inside a terraced house, lay the body of John Wilson, the third victim of a gun attack in five days.
The girls, ranging in age from about five to eight, skipped around the white and blue Garda tape.
A forensic officer passed them after walking the short distance from Wilson’s house to the van marked Technical Bureau. “Were you in the house mister, were you?” they chirped.
The junction of Clover Hill Rd, Cherry Orchard Avenue, and Raheen Park was alive with kids. A group passed under the Garda tape and sat up on a wall of a house to get a prime view.
The officers from the Technical Bureau spent considerable time at the front door of the house.
The red brick house was adorned with hanging flower baskets and up in one of the bedrooms, children’s bunk beds could be seen.
Inside lay the remains of John Wilson, gunned down at 3pm, one of three notorious Ballyfermot brothers.
Last November, Keith Wilson was sentenced to life for the murder of killer Daniel Gaynor of Finglas. The third brother, Eric, was used as a hitman and is suspected of involvement in up to five gangland murders, many under orders of the Finglas criminal network.
Eric was convicted in Spain last year for killing a British national in a packed bar in the Costa de Sol.
John Wilson, 35, was arrested in Aug 2010 in relation to a gun attack in a Dublin bar. Gardaí believe he intended to shoot dissident republicans, including Real IRA leader Alan Ryan, murdered earlier this month.
Instead, Wilson, who had convictions for firearms and drugs, shot three innocent people in a reckless attack.
Gardaí suspect he may have been shot by Ryan’s unit in retaliation but are keeping an open mind.
Wilson knew his life was in danger and had been notified of the threats by gardaí. He had already escaped three attempts on his life.
Gardaí said the Wilson brothers had built up many enemies among dissidents and rival criminal groups.
It is understood his killers watched as he collected his children from school and dropped them off at another house, before walking back home. He was followed into the house and shot dead.
Wilson had two children, an 8-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy.
Gardaí said it was not clear if the girl was in the vicinity of their home when he was shot. There were reports locally that Wilson’s partner Nicola Rogers was in a car outside the house at the time and that their youngest was with her. But Garda sources said it was not clear.
The killer did not force entry into the house, but followed Wilson in and shot him several times in the hallway, where he was found.
State pathologist Marie Cassidy arrived later in the evening and conducted a preliminary postmortem.
Late last night, a man in his 30s was arrested and detained at Ballyfermot Garda Station in connection with the shooting.
