Gardaí are questioning two men in relation to the fatal shooting of Roy Collins (35) in Limerick today.
Mr Collins was shot once in the chest at an amusement arcade at the busy Roxboro shopping centre in Limerick over lunchtime.
Gardaí are looking at the possibility the killing was a revenge attack on the Collins family for giving evidence against a leading Limerick gangster.
Two men (aged 19 and 24) were being questioned by officers investigating the shooting, which happened just yards from Roxboro Road garda station.
Inspector Seamus Ruane said a partially burnt-out dark coloured car, believed to have been the getaway car, was found not far from the scene.
“Any witnesses at the scene, we would appeal for them to come forward,” Inspector Ruane said.
“We believe the vehicle was involved in the incident and we have to establish that firmly.”
Mr Collins was working in the arcade, attached to the Steering Wheel pub, when he was shot once in the chest shortly after midday.
He was rushed to the Mid-Western Regional hospital but died a short time later.
Within an hour a squad of armed gardaí, including members of the Regional Support Unit set up last year to tackle the city’s bloody gangs, raided the nearby Ballinacurra area of the city and arrested the two suspects.
They are being questioned by detectives at Roxboro Road and Henry Street Garda stations under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
It is not known how many people were in the amusement arcade but there were a number of customers in the Steering Wheel and gardaí said they would be interviewing everyone in the area.
“There were certainly people in the licensed premises next door, but I don’t know how many people were in the arcade,” Insp Ruane said.
“But there were people around and obviously we’re pursuing that line of investigation.”