Ballyfermot shooting: fundraiser for 'shocked' family of victim Michael Tormey

An online fundraiser created to help pay for the funeral of gun murder victim Michael Tormey has far exceeded its goal of €2,000 as the Garda inquiry into the killing last weekend in Ballyfermot, south Dublin, continues.

By Wednesday evening just more than €6,000 had been donated to the GoFundMe page, which was created for Mr Tormey’s wife, Amy. It is understood Mr Tormey, who had a young daughter and a step-daughter, had worked as a salesman and as a doorman in the security sector.

“On behalf of Amy, the girls and Mick’s family we are looking for some donations to help with funeral costs after such tragic news of the death of Michael Tormey,” the fundraising page reads. “Mick’s death has come as a terrible shock to his wife, kids, his family and his friends.”

A member of Mr Tormey’s extended family also took to social media to convey the family’s sense of shock at the murder. He thanked those people who had sent messages of condolence and support, adding the family was “numb at the moment and in shock [at] the circumstances surrounding Michael’s death, you all know he was a gentleman”.

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Wounded

Mr Tormey (49), a married father, with no known links to crime, was shot dead at his home on Thomond Road, Ballyfermot, just after 4.30am last Sunday. He had been out socialising in a pub last Saturday night and after it closed he went on to a social gathering with family members and friends into Sunday morning.

He returned to his home, with his wife, at about 3.30am and about an hour later it appears he went to the front door to answer to a caller. Mr Tormey was shot dead at the doorway. He was wounded several times in the upper body by his killer, who used a handgun. The dead man’s wife, whom he married less than three years ago, and their young daughter were asleep in the house when the fatal gun attack occurred.

Supt Tony Twomey of Ballyfermot Garda station said on Monday the motive for the murder was not clear. He added gardaí did not believe Mr Tormey had been involved in a dispute or any other incident while out socialising in the hours before he was gunned down. Supt Twomey also said Mr Tormey had no links to crime that gardaí were aware of.

It appears very few, if any, of Mr Tormey’s neighbours heard the fatal shots being fired and gardaí have not ruled out the possibility a silencer was used. Garda sources said while Mr Tormey had no known links to organised crime, his killing bore all the hallmarks of a gangland murder that was planned in advance and carried out very quickly.

Clues

Investigating gardaí were hopeful an analysis of the victim’s mobile phone may hold clues about the identity of anyone he was at odds with for personal or other reasons. Detectives have also spoken to Mr Tormey’s family members and friends in an attempt to build a picture of his life and any recent pressure or threats he may have been under.

While gardaí have appealed for anyone who was on Thomond Road or nearby Kylemore Road from 3.30am to just after 4.30am last Sunday to come forward, they have yet to release any information about how the killer got to and from the scene and any vehicles suspected of being used by the killer.

Mr Tormey's home, in the middle of a terrace in a local authority estate, was sealed off for examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau, though that phase of the inquiry was now completed.