Gardaí hunt gunmen who murdered teenager
Gardaí are tonight hunting two gunmen who murdered a Nigerian teenager in Dunboyne, Co Meath.
Gardaí are still trying to find a motive as to why the 17-year-old was gunned down through the door of his apartment.
A racist attack has been ruled out.
The apartment in the Dunboyne Castle estate remained sealed off today as forensic officers searched the area.
Meanwhile, investigating officers carried out door to door enquiries to establish exactly what happened at the quiet housing development.
Gardaí said two men called to the apartment shortly before 2am and shot the youth, who is almost 18.
He was rushed to James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, where he was worked on by the medical staff for more than an hour but he died 3.20am.
A post mortem is being carried out on his remains today.
The teenager, who had been renting an apartment with another person, is understood to have lived in the area around two months.
Dunboyne councillor Noel Leonard said although the victim was not well known, he saw local residents openly crying as the horrific news spread through the village.
“The whole village is in shock, particularly because the boy was so young,” he said.
“Any savage murder like this is completely and utterly horrible, but this is an awful crime
“A you man, a boy, to be woken up at night and have two gunmen blast him out of it at his door is just gruesome.
“To wake up and hear this sort of news is horrible. It’s unacceptable and unexpected in a community like Dunboyne which is relatively crime visit.
“I actually saw people crying this morning when they heard the age of the victim.
“He probably came here for a better life, God knows what he got caught up in, but no-one deserves that.
“I hope whoever did this or ordered it or carried out the gruesome crime will be brought to justice fairly quickly.”
Superintendent Charles Devine, of Ashbourne Garda Station, appealed for anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area to come forward.
“It is a private estate, a lot of new apartments, it is unexpected for something like this to happen in that particular area,” he said.
“There’s no experience of anything like this in the past around there.”
The senior garda extended his sympathies to the young man’s family.
Shocked neighbours spoke of their disbelief of having a murder so close to their homes which were built recently next to Dunboyne Castle.
“Dunboyne is a quiet place and not much happens at all, it’s a terrible thing to happen,” said one man.
“It is a terrible shock to the community because nothing like this happens in this community. It’s a very quiet place to live.”
“I wouldn’t think it would happen in a small area like this, but I suppose we’re on the outskirts of Dublin and these things happen,” added another neighbour.
“Whether it’s violence spreading everywhere I don’t know. It’s tragic.”
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