A MAN in his 30s was shot dead yesterday afternoon in a gangland-style killing at a flats complex in Coolock, north Dublin.
The victim, who was named locally as Anthony Foster (34), was originally from Kilbarrack and had been living in the Coolock area where he had a young family.
Gardaí were alerted to the shooting at the Cromcastle Court flats complex at 1.45pm and discovered Mr Foster's body on the balcony of the top floor of one of the blocks of flats.
The scene was sealed off by gardaí for forensic investigation and the State Pathologist, Marie Cassidy, was called to the scene.
Det Supt Séamus Kane, who is in charge of the murder investigation, said it was too early to speculate on a motive for the killing. "Gardaí are keeping an open mind for the time being," he said.
He added that the death appeared to have been as the result of a gunshot wound, but further examination would determine the exact cause of death.
Shocked local people described how they heard a shot "that sounded like a banger" and took some time to realise what had happened.
A woman who has been living across the road from Cromcastle Court for 35 years said she never had any trouble from anyone in the flats and that such an incident was "devastating, especially where there are young kids out playing during the school holidays".
Another young mother described how she left her place of work to come home when she heard about the killing. "My little girl plays around there and I got a terrible shock when I heard the news," she said.
Locals said that the Cromcastle Court flats complex was built about 35 years ago and was renovated in recent years.
It comprises eight five-storey blocks of flats and is adjacent to the Cromcastle Park estate off the Oscar Traynor Road, close to Northside shopping centre.
Mr Foster was jailed for six years in 2001 for handling cannabis resin worth £30,000 in April 2000. The court heard at that time that £20,000 found at Mr Foster's home were the proceeds of drug dealing.
He was working at that time with drug addicts at the Merchant's Quay rehabilitation project in Dublin.
The Coolock area has seen a number of shootings over recent months which are believed to be connected to gangland feuds.
Two men were injured in the past month in shootings in the area. A 21-year-old man was shot in Buttercup Park, Coolock, earlier this month, while a 29-year-old man was shot outside the Total Fitness gym on the Malahide Road in June.
In April, Anthony Russell, a 30-year-old father of two, was shot dead when two men wearing balaclavas entered the Ardlea Inn pub, in Artane, and singled out the victim, who was drinking with friends.