Gardaí are continuing to investigate a gun attack in Dublin last night that left one man dead and another critically injured in the first gangland shooting of the new year. Gardaí said they are looking to talk to a man in his 20s who was seen close to the scence of the attack.
The gunman opened fire on the two victims as they were sitting in their car, a black Volvo with UK registered number plates, on Langrishe Place, a cul de sac off Summerhill in Dublin's north inner city.
Gardaí believe the killer was in the car with the men when he opened fire. Both victims were shot in the head.
The killer then ran from the scene. A handgun was found at Gloucester Diamond near the scene and gardaí believe it is the murder weapon.
The car with the wounded men in it went out on to the busy Summerhill road, colliding with crash barriers in the centre of the road.
Gardaí were called out to a suspected road traffic collision at 8.40pm but discovered the shot men in the car when they arrived at the scene. Both of the victims were rushed by ambulance to the nearby Mater and St James's hospitals.
One of the men was pronounced dead at 9.15pm at the Mater.
The other victim remains in a critical condition in St James's with Garda sources saying he would be lucky to survive.
The man who died was later named as Michael “Roly” Cronin. He was a well-known drug dealer and had a number of convictions for heroin dealing going back to the mid-1990s. He was jailed for 13 years for dealing heroin in 1998.
Gardaí today have issues an appeal for witnesses to the gun attack. They said they are keen to speak to any one that may have seen a male described as being between 5ft 6 and 5ft 9 in height, of medium build iand n his early to mid 20's. Gardaí said it was possible the man was wearing some type of sports gear or tracksuit with had a silver stripe.
It is believed this man travelled on foot down from Summerhill Road onto Gloucester Place and possibly onto Sean Mc Dermott Street.
Gardaí are also keen to speak to anyone that may have seen a Black Volvo S40 sport car, registered number FD 54 CEY. This is an English registered car and the rear number plate has a yellow background.
Labour TD for Dublin Central Joe Costello said the shooting was “savage” and called on the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern to introduce “zero licensing of handguns”.
Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Central, Cyprian Brady, said the shooting was unacceptable in any society.
"The constituents in the area are disgusted that our capital's streets have been denigrated to mob shooting," he said. "It is time to stop turning the capital city into a blood bath and I urge every citizen in the community to work together to tackle this serious issue."