Three men – two in their 20s and one a teenager – were arrested nearbyNeighbors say they were woken by crashing cars and the sound of gunshots in a residential area near school and church in DrimnaghJustice Minister Helen McEntee calls attack 'completely unacceptable'
Gardaí are investigating whether the victim – identified as 20-year-old Josh Itseli – was ambushed by his own associates when the car he was riding in was rammed and he was shot dead shortly after midnight.
Detectives are also investigating whether a violent young criminal, in his early 20s and suspected of previous gun attacks, was directly involved.
The suspect is also under investigation in custody over a violent attack on a young woman in the city recently, with gardaí having become “increasingly concerned” about his escalating involvement in crime.
Army bomb squad were called in to deal with a suspicious device after the attack that left Itseli dead in a hail of bullets last night, it has emerged.
Locals said they were woken by the sounds of gunshots and cars being rammed when the victim, aged 20, was targeted from a moving vehicle.
The murder victim is identified by people close to him as 20-year-old Josh Itseli.
They said gardaí had contacted his family about the attack.
They said Mr Itseli had been born and raised in Dublin and had spent most of his life in Dublin, but had recently lived elsewhere with his mother.
One woman said the scenes “seemed like something out of the Wild West” and that more than 20 shots were fired.
It is believed attackers in a moving car attacked a man in another car on Knocknarea Road in Drimnagh shortly after midnight.
Locals said the attackers may have tried to escape by reversing but crashed into a tree and other vehicles before running away.
Three men, two in their 20s and another in his teens, were arrested at the scene, in a residential area near a school and a church, while three vandalized cars are at the center of the Garda investigation.
The dead man's body remained at the scene this afternoon while a post-mortem examination was arranged and Garda forensic experts examined the area.
Gardaí at the scene of the fatal shooting on Knocknarea Road in Drimnagh. Photo: Frank McGrath
Speaking at Sundrive Garda station on Monday afternoon, Supt Paul Maher said gardaí received a number of calls about shots fired on Knocknarea Road in the Drimnagh area at around 12.15pm.
“Gardaí responded to the scene and discovered two vehicles, a Mercedes and a VW Golf, which appeared to have been in a collision. A man in his early 20s was discovered with gunshot wounds,” he said.
“Gardaí responded and provided first aid and despite efforts by gardaí paramedics and Dublin Fire Brigade, the man was pronounced dead at the scene and our thoughts are with the family of the deceased at this time.”
“Gardaí became aware of a potential explosive device at Knocknarea District Court. The Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was requested to the scene and the device was secured and removed.”
“Shortly after reports of the shooting, the Garda Regional Armed Support Unit encountered three men on Slievebloom Road. Two are in their early twenties and one is a teenage boy. The three men have been arrested.”
Supt Maher said a number of other vehicles were damaged on Knocknarea Road and remain part of the scene and Garda technical investigation.
“Another vehicle of interest has been identified on Sperrin Road, which is also currently the subject of technical investigation, and this is a silver Ford Focus. An incident room has been set up at Sundrive Road garda station.”
Supt Maher said investigating gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward.
“In particular, we are appealing to anyone with a dashcam or other footage and who was in the Knocknarea Road area between 11.30pm and 12.30pm last night to make that footage available to An Garda Siochana,” he said.
“We are also appealing to anyone who has CCTV footage in the wider area of Cooley Road, Brandon Road, Errigal Gardens, Crumlin Road, Slievenamon Road, Morne Road and associated byways and who was in or around the Knocknarea area to make it available to set.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sundrive Road Garda Station on 01 6666600 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, or any other Garda station.”
It is understood gardaí are also looking for a van that may be linked to the murder.
The armed forces confirmed that their bomb disposal experts had been called in to deal with a suspicious device in the aftermath of the attack.
“On Sunday evening, experts from the Defense Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána, in relation to a potential explosive device in the Dublin City area,” a spokesperson said.
“Following an assessment by our EOD team, this device was removed from the scene and the scene was made safe. This operation has been completed and all elements have been returned to barracks.”
'It looked like something out of the Wild West'
A local resident said she was awakened by the sound of gunshots.
“It appears shots were fired from a moving car at a second car, and then a crash occurred. Then I heard about 20 shots or more and a lot of screaming,” she said.
“Then a car reversed onto the road at high speed and I have since heard that it crashed into things while reversing and drove away. It looked like something out of the Wild West.”
Other residents said they saw a car chase on the road just before the gun attack.
Two badly damaged cars, a Volkswagen Golf and a Mercedes, are still at the scene after a collision at the junction of Curlew Road and Knocknarea Road outside Our Lady's school.
Garda at the scene of a fatal shooting on Knocknarea Rd near Crumlin. Photo: Frank McGrath
On nearby Sperrin Road, gardaí closed the road at a church where a silver Ford Focus was parked with serious damage.
The rear passenger side was crushed and the driver's side taillight cluster was dislodged. There was also damage to the front of the car and the two tires on the passenger side were punctured, resulting in damage to the rims. The rear passenger door was open and the rear windows were open.
A car outside the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, near the scene of the fatal shooting on Knocknarea Road in Drimnagh. Photo: Frank McGrath
Garda forensics pictured at the scene of the fatal shooting on Knocknarea Road in Drimnagh. Photo: Frank McGrath
Another local resident said she heard two cars collide before hearing gunshots and screams.
“It was late and the first thing we heard was the crash, and soon there were about ten shots in bursts of three or four. We fell to the floor in the house and we could hear screaming,” she said.
“When we felt it was safe and emergency services arrived, we could see the medics around the driver's door of one of the cars, but outside of it.”
Gardaí said they were investigating the fatal shooting of a man in the early hours of Monday.
About 12.15pm a man suffered fatal injuries after being targeted on the Knocknarea Road in the Crumlin-Drimnagh area of Dublin 12, gardaí said.
'An attack on the entire community'
Justice Minister Helen McEntee criticized the attack.
“The attack in Drimnagh last night was completely unacceptable and is not something we will tolerate on the streets,” she said.
“I commend the Gardaí for their quick response, resulting in the swift arrest of suspects.
“Tackling crime and ensuring safer streets remains a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government.”
Sinn Féin councilor and one of the party's candidates for the European elections in Dublin, Daithí Doolan, lives a five-minute bike ride from the scene of the crime.
He said he was woken “very late last night” by a helicopter flying over his house. He said this would not be unusual, but the helicopter flew over the houses for a long time.
“What made it unusual was the length of time it was there,” he said.
'But we didn't expect to wake up this morning to the news that a young man had been shot dead.
“Last night's shooting here in Drimnagh has left a young man dead, a family in mourning and the community in shock. It was an attack on the entire community.
“It is extremely important that those involved in this terrible incident are apprehended and brought to justice.”
The scene is currently being held for investigation by the Garda Technical Bureau.
Three men have been arrested and are being held at Garda stations in the Dublin area under section 30 of the Offenses Against the State Act 1939.
The investigation into the incident is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) and an incident room has been set up at Sundrive Road Garda Station.
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to these incidents to come forward.
Anyone with information that could assist gardaí in their investigations is asked to contact Sundrive Road Garda Station on 01 666 6600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
More to follow…