A young Dublin man shot twice in the head with a shotgun at point-blank range in the south of the city on Wednesday remained in a critical condition in hospital last night.
Two suspected minor drug dealers arrested after the apparent botched murder attempt on Lakelands Road, Stillorgan, are likely to be charged as early as today.
The men are in their early 20s and have addresses in Crumlin and Walkinstown. The victim is a 24-year-old man from Monasterboice Road, Crumlin.
Gardaí are working on the theory that the attack is linked to a feud in the Crumlin area which has been simmering in recent years.
The shooting is not linked to an ongoing major gangland feud between rival drug dealing factions in the Crumlin and Drimnagh areas. That feud has been ongoing for seven years and has so far claimed 10 lives.
However, detectives investigating Wednesday's shooting believe it is linked to the drugs trade. A small quantity of cannabis was seized from the car in which the shooting occurred and gardaí believe a drug deal may have been under way at the time.
They have discounted the theory that the gun discharged accidentally. Two shots were fired from it as the three men were sitting in a car outside a row of shops in a busy area on Lakelands Road at 3pm on Wednesday.
The two attackers tried to push the wounded man out of the vehicle.
However, when they realised they were being watched by passers-by they sped a short distance away before dumping their victim on the side of the road.
