Murder victim was involved in serious assault

A 20-year-old man gunned down in a car outside his home was involved in a serious assault in the last few weeks, it emerged tonight.

Steven O’Halloran, nicknamed Red, was shot in the chest and died on the driveway of his family home in Tallaght, south Dublin.

Detectives believe two hooded attackers, both of whom may have been armed with 9mm handguns, fired at least ten shots at him and two friends.

One motive being investigated is that O’Halloran, who was known to local gardaí, was targeted in a revenge attack after being involved in a vicious assault a few weeks ago.

Superintendent John Gilligan appealed for witnesses who may have seen the two killers.

“They both left the area on foot but may have got into a car after following an escape route,” the Supt said.

“We are asking people who may have seen anything, who may have seen them (the attackers) getting into a car or going into a house, to come forward.”

Mr O’Halloran was shot as he sat in a car in the Kilmartin area of Tallaght shortly before midnight on Monday. The area was plagued with drug problems, mainly heroin in the 1980s and 1990s, but has been cleaned up over the last ten years.

It is believed the killers fled the murder scene through hedgerows to neighbouring streets and onto the Fettercairn and Cheeverstown roads where a car may have been waiting for them.

Uniformed gardaí on patrol in the area were on the scene in minutes.

The two injured men were rushed to Tallaght Hospital where they underwent surgery and are said to be in a serious condition.

Gardaí appealed for local residents to come forward with any information.

“The gardaí here in Tallaght have an excellent relationship with the people in the Kilmartin estate area,” Supt Gilligan said.

“This is an area with a great community spirit, the gardai are fully engaged with the people in the area and we are anxious that people would help us with the investigation.”

The killers have been described as 6ft, of thin build, one was wearing an orange or red hooded top and the other track suit bottoms with a stripe.

Local Sinn Féin councillor Sean Crowe claimed a CCTV unit installed in the area has yet to be activated.

“Action is needed now to reassure the community that they aren’t going to be abandoned to armed thugs,” the Sinn Féin representative said.

The former TD said he will raise the issue at next week’s meeting of the local drugs taskforce forum.

Garda forensic and crime scene investigators remained at the scene most of the day as they carried out technical examinations.

It is the third fatal shooting this year.

On January 7 heroin dealer Michael ’Roly’ Cronin was shot dead in a car in Summerhill while another man in the vehicle, James Moloney, died in hospital two days later.

The gunman had been sitting in the rear seat of the vehicle and fled on foot.

A man in his 50s was arrested over the killings today and is being held at Store Street Garda Station under Section 30 of the Offences Against The State Act.

Five other people arrested and questioned last week in relation to the double murder were later released while files are prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Last week, three men were injured in separate feud-linked gun attacks on consecutive nights in Finglas in north Dublin.

Pat Rabbitte, Labour Party justice spokesman, claimed the Government was failing to get to grips with gun crime.

“We are now just three weeks into 2009, and already we have had three fatal gun attacks, all thought to be drug-related,” Mr Rabbitte said.

Fianna Fáil TD Charlie O’Connor, who lives in the Tallaght area, said the community was numbed and shocked by the killing.

“There are a lot of young children in this area and I would be hugely concerned for their safety,” he said.