Man shot dead after he dropped child to school

Gardaí are bracing themselves for retaliation after a man was shot dead and his partner injured outside a primary school in north Dublin.

The victim, Benny Whitehouse, 35, had just dropped his child off to St Peter and Paul’s NS in Balbriggan at 9am.

Detectives believe the shooting was linked to a feud between two gangs involved in the distribution of illegal drugs in north Dublin and south Louth.

It followed two violent incidents at the gates of the school last November involving members of the two gangs, which had been witnessed by children.

It was the 13th gun murder this year, at least 11 of which are thought to be gangland-related. It was the second killing to have occurred outside a school or a crèche.

Last March, Real IRA man Declan Smith, 32, from Donaghmede, north Dublin, was shot after leaving his child at a local playschool.

Whitehouse and his partner had walked a short distance to their parked car on Clonard Street and had been getting in when a gunman ran up to him and fired four times. One of the shots hit his partner in the leg.

It is understood Whitehouse, with an address at Westbrook Rise in Balbriggan, attempted to escape but collapsed face down on the footpath beside the car. He was shot at close range and died at the scene.

The gunman was seen by witnesses jumping into a dark-coloured Ford Focus which sped away. It was later found burned out.

Gardaí sealed off the scene pending a forensic and ballistic examination. Whitehouse’s wine-coloured VW Polo, which had the driver’s window shattered, was later taken away for ballistic examination.

His partner was removed to Beaumont Hospital where she has been treated for her injuries.

The victim, a member of the Travelling community, was well-known to gardaí and had previous convictions, including driving under the influence of drugs.

He was awaiting trial in relation to a brawl at the school.