Bid to find gangland-shooting motive

Detectives were tonight trying to find a motive for a gangland-style gun attack which left a man fighting for his life.

The 27-year-old victim remains in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head at an apartment in south Co Dublin.

The victim was hit by a bullet through a third floor window when he looked out after the gunman had knocked at the door below.

It is understood that his two young children and girlfriend were in the apartment in Russell Rise, near Fortunestown Way in Tallaght, at the time of the attack shortly after 6.30am.

Superintendent Eamon Dolan appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

“People may have seen something going to work or coming from work at that time of the morning,” he said.

“They may have seen something of a suspicious nature, like people running in the area or maybe a vehicle driving away quickly or being abandoned locally.”

The man’s family have remained at his bedside at Tallaght Hospital, where he is described as being critical but stable in the intensive care unit.

A large Garda presence was at the scene throughout the day as detectives attempted to piece together a motive for the attack.

Teams of gardaí combed the area as it was cordoned-off for a full forensic examination. Local residents were quizzed by detectives.

The shooting follows the death of Gavin McCarthy, who became Ireland’s 14th gun-murder victim of the year on Sunday night.

The 24-year-old was gunned down in Dublin’s north inner city, just streets away from the international financial services centre.

Detectives believe the killer may be as young as 17.

The victim was known to gardaí, but was not a major gangland figure.

It is understood Mr McCarthy’s shooting was linked to a feud in the area sparked by the jailing of a local drug lord for rape.

Local crime factions in Sheriff Street split over the jailing of notorious drug dealer Christy Griffin, from Canon Lillis Avenue, when he was charged with raping his partner’s daughter over several years.