Dublin shooting: Fears of revenge attacks as gardaí say 'pure luck' prevented more deaths

High-visibility patrols, including the Armed Support Unit, are increasing in Blanchardstown, including in Corduff and Mulhuddart, as well as in nearby Finglas. Picture: Denis Minihane

Gardaí have increased armed patrols in west Dublin in a bid to prevent revenge attacks after a reckless shooting in a busy restaurant on Christmas Eve left the suspected gunman dead and his victim in a serious condition.

Tristan Sherry, aged 26, was stabbed to death in the restaurant after he opened fire on a number of people, including a father and his son. It is thought his weapon jammed, or he was trying to flee when customers overpowered him.

He suffered fatal injuries after he was repeatedly stabbed, up to 30 times.

There were children in Browne’s Steakhouse on Main St in Blanchardstown at the time and various videos and photographs were uploaded online of the shocking incident — which gardaí have urged members of the public not to circulate any further.

Sherry’s victim, a man aged 47, was shot at least once and is in a serious condition in hospital.

Officers suspect Sherry had at least one other accomplice. Detectives are investigating the motive for the attack and will examine if it is linked to a gang feud in the Blanchardstown-Finglas area.

They are also investigating if the father and son were the intended victims of the attack and examining what might be the reasons for that.

Sources said it was “pure luck” there weren’t multiple fatalities in the shooting and described the attack as “completely reckless”.

Statements are being taken from customers and staff and CCTV from the restaurant and along Main St is being harvested for examination.

The attack took place just after 8pm on Christmas Eve.

Officers are gathering mobile phone evidence as part of their inquiries and are also monitoring social media accounts of friends and accomplices of both the victim and the targets.

High-visibility patrols, including the Armed Support Unit, are increasing in Blanchardstown, including in the Corduff and Mulhuddart areas, as well as in nearby Finglas.

The gunman, from Whitestown Avenue in Blanchardstown and originally from Finglas, has previously had links to a violent gang based in the Finglas area, led by a notorious criminal.

That gang was involved in a feud with a Blanchardstown gang, based in the Corduff area, which saw a spate of violent attacks in 2018 and 2019.

Sherry is suspected of being involved in a gun attack as part of that feud in 2019.

Detectives will investigate if there are any possible linkages between that attack and the shooting on Christmas Eve.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned the attack, saying he had visited the restaurant a number of times.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the shooting had inflicted “unimaginable human suffering” and said for anyone to perpetrate such violence as families gathered before Christmas was “especially disgusting”.