Gardaí believe a man shot in Dublin on Wednesday night was targeted as part of an ongoing feud between rival factions from the north side of the city. Detectives are working on the theory that the shooting may have been drug related or linked to other serious crime.
The 19-year-old victim was a passenger in a van on Grangemore Road, Donaghmede, when a black car pulled alongside it and one of its occupants opened fire with a shotgun. The victim was hit in the upper body four times and also sustained a number of pellet wounds to his neck and face. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where he was said to be in a critical but stable condition last night and he is expected to recover.
The car used by the attackers sped from the scene immediately after the shooting at 8.20pm. Gardaí were still searching for the vehicle last night.
Informed sources said the attack was linked to a series of shooting incidents in the last 12 months involving members of the Traveller community living on the north side of the city.
Gardaí said last December the rival factions were involved in six non-fatal gun attacks on each other in the space of a week. The latest incident represented a renewed level of violence between the factions.
The man recovering in hospital last night is a settled Traveller who lives off the Malahide Road, close to Darndale.
Gardaí investigating the latest shooting said a number of men who have been involved in the feud are members of the Traveller community linked to the drugs trade and other serious crime.
The scene of the attack was sealed off yesterday as gardaí carried out a full technical examination.
Two associates of the injured man who were travelling in the van at the time of the attack have been interviewed by investigating gardaí. Door-to-door inquiries have also been carried out in the vicinity of the shooting.
Anybody with information on the shooting is asked to call Coolock Garda station on (01) 666 4200.
