Condition of man wounded in Christmas Eve gangland attack deteriorates

The condition of a man shot and wounded in a gangland attack in Dublin on Christmas Eve has deteriorated.

While the victim of the attack at a Blanchardstown restaurant – a 47-year-old Dubliner – has been undergoing medical treatment over the past week, he has remained on the critical list.

Over the last number of days, his condition has worsened and now medical personnel and gardaí investigating the case have become very concerned about his prospects of survival.

The gunman who carried out the shooting, Tristan Sherry (25), Finglas, Dublin, died from injuries he sustained after he was tackled in Browne’s Steakhouse on Main Street in Blanchardstown.

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Another man has been charged with the murder of Mr Sherry.

Gardaí believe Mr Sherry was in dispute with a group of men from the Blanchardstown-Corduff area and had gone to the busy restaurant to shoot at least one, possibly two, men as part of that feud.

The man who was wounded was quickly taken to James Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, after the shooting at about 8pm on Christmas Eve. However, the nature of his wounds put his life at risk, with his condition now having deteriorated. It is understood he was wounded in the neck.

[ Anatomy of a botched gangland hit – Blanchardstown’s nightmare before Christmas ]

[ Brazenness of Blanchardstown shooting shows younger criminals’ taste for extreme violence ]

The victim, who is from Blanchardstown, was in the restaurant on Christmas Eve with a number of people, including relatives. Gardaí suspect the men who attacked him hastily organised the shooting, which appeared to be marked by very poor planning, with little, or no, prior surveillance or checks at the venue.

However, detectives also believe Mr Sherry was with a number of accomplices, at least one of whom was thought to be armed. Those men managed to escape the scene and left the area in a vehicle waiting outside.

Mr Sherry was linked to an established drugs gang in Finglas but had been embroiled in feud violence with a group of men from Blanchardstown-Corduff for several years. The dispute predates the pandemic and had involved non-fatal attacks, including drive-by shootings, petrol bombings and stabbings.

Mr Sherry was both a target of that violence and was also suspected of having perpetrated some serious gun attacks, including an incident in 2019 when a gunman opened fire on a vehicle in west Dublin that a number of men were travelling in.

The Christmas Eve gun attack, which forced diners, including some with children, to take cover, was seen as a serious escalation in the ongoing feud.

There are now fears of reprisals and gardaí have already stated armed patrols had been stepped up at key locations in Blanchardstown, Corduff and Finglas.

A significant Garda operation was also expected to be put in place when Mr Sherry’s funeral takes place, though no arrangements have yet emerged publicly. While video of the attack inside the restaurant emerged on social media, gardaí have worked with several platforms to stop its spread and taken down the footage.

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