Gardaí investigating the murder of a man in Co Laois today have appealed for information about the movements of a vehicle seen near the scene of the crime.
Gerard Eglington (27) was fatally injured in a gangland-style shooting at 8.30am at the home he shared with his partner and children in Kilnacourt Woods, Portarlington.
The shooting has been linked to a feud between gangs in the Crumlin and Drimnagh areas of Dublin.
He was pronounced dead in Tullamore General Hospital a short time later. His home underwent a forensic examination today and a post mortem is being conducted on his body tonight.
Insp Martin Harrington said gardaí were called to the scene at 8.45am. “What they found was a male in house who had suffered a number of gunshot wounds. The emergency service were called. He was removed by ambulance to Tullamore hospital where he died approximately an hour later.”
The victim was known to gardaí. He was sentenced to four years in juvenile detention after pleading guilty to unlawfully taking possession of a vehicle which was involved in a crash in which two gardaí died on the Stillorgan dual carriageway in Dublin.
Gardaí are seeking information about the movements of a blue Mazda 6 car which left the estate at speed shortly after the incident. The car was later found burnt out at Lea Road, about 1km from the scene.
Anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the estate in the early hours of this morning or over the last few days is asked to contact Portarlington Garda station on (057) 8636774, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.