GARDAÍ BELIEVE they have evidence that places at least two men at the scene of the murder of 16-year-old Melanie McCarthy McNamara in Tallaght, Dublin, on Tuesday night.
Amid fears of an escalation of feuding after the killing, Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and Minister for Justice Alan Shatter appealed for calm.
The main suspects were seen in the 4x4 vehicle that was used by the killers. Detectives are now hopeful a gun and other items found near the abandoned black Hyundai Santa Fe will link the men to the murder.
The 4X4 was driven from the scene on Brookview Way, Tallaght, towards Citywest and was abandoned there just minutes after the shooting at 10.35pm.
The men in the vehicle appeared to panic, apparently realising they had seriously wounded a teenage girl rather a man known to her, who was the intended target of the shooting.
In their rushed escape they made no effort to burn the vehicle and even threw the shotgun used in the attack, along with gloves and scarves, into undergrowth close to the vehicle.
The area is well covered by good quality CCTV, which is being reviewed.
Based on the evidence gathered so far, gardaí have identified at least two men, and forensic evidence is now being examined to see if their link to the crime can be confirmed.
Gardaí in west Tallaght have stepped up armed patrols in the area with the intention of calming the feuding between local factions, which is believed to lie behind the shooting.
Ms McCarthy was in a car with three men parked outside a house on Brookview Way when the black SUV pulled alongside and one of the occupants opened fire, fatally wounding the teenager in the head.
Her friends drove her at speed to Tallaght hospital, but she was pronounced dead at 1am.
Gardaí believe the gunman was trying to shoot a man known to Ms McCarthy but botched the killing and fatally wounded the girl instead.
Some of those involved are settled Travellers. They have links to people involved in the drugs trade and other forms of gangland crime in Tallaght.
A number of men involved in the feud have links to the McCarthy-Dundon gang in Limerick and gardaí are fearful the recent violence may escalate.
The Irish Traveller Movement said the nature of Tuesday night’s death had caused shock and distress in the Traveller community.
“We appeal for calm and ask people to offer full co-operation to the gardaí in their pursuit of Melanie’s killers – in what is the appropriate way for justice to be done,” a spokeswoman said.
Yesterday the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and Minister for Justice Alan Shatter also appealed for calm. They said people in the local community with information that could help solve the crime needed to reflect on the seriousness of what had happened. The commissioner moved to allay fears that the killing would lead to further serious and sustained feuding.
“We will be doing all that we can to . . . reassure the public that we have sufficient resources on the ground. We have very experienced investigators working on this investigation to ensure we bring matters to a successful conclusion as quickly as possible.”
Mr Shatter said recent departures from the Garda due to early retirements had not impaired the force’s ability to meet the challenges posed by armed crime.
He did not believe the murder investigation in Tallaght would be hampered by the early retirements later this month of the superintendent and chief superintendent in charge of the inquiry.
“There is no question of the gardaí having any difficulty in fully and properly investigating and bringing those responsible before the courts.”