A 31-year-old man was shot dead in north Dublin yesterday minutes after being released from Mountjoy Prison.
The victim, named locally as Mark Byrne, from Tallaght, was shot three times opposite the Mater hospital shortly before 10am. His attacker escaped on foot.
Byrne had been nearing the end of a sentence for drugs offences and was on day release. Gardaí are investigating the possibility that his death was related to a dispute with a former prison inmate.
Supt John Leahy of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station, leading the investigation, said the victim was released from the prison at around 9.40am. He walked towards Phibsboro village before crossing into Berkeley Road.
He went into Selections newsagents and bought credit for his mobile phone. When he emerged he was shot three times in the head. He managed to cross the street before he collapsed. Staff from the Mater hospital came to Byrne's assistance within minutes. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gardaí spoke to a number of witnesses yesterday, Supt Leahy said. The gunman has been described as 5ft 9in with fair hair and a stocky build. He was wearing dark clothing, a hooded top and a baseball cap. He was seen running down Berkeley Road in the direction of the city centre before turning right into Sarsfield Road and making his escape.
Gardaí were following a number of lines of inquiry, Supt Leahy said, and were appealing to the public for help.
The shooting was the sixth gangland murder in five weeks. However, Supt Leahy said he had no reason to believe that Byrne's death was related to any of these recent killings.
He said he could not confirm if the murder was a revenge attack for a previous dispute with another prison inmate, but he said: "The questioning of inmates is part of our investigation."
Gardaí are investigating the possibility that Byrne's killer was a known criminal from Ballymun exacting revenge for a knife attack on him by Byrne when both men were inmates at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin last year. This man has only recently been released after serving a sentence for firearms offences.
It is understood Byrne slashed him in a row at Wheatfield Prison. He was transferred to Mountjoy following the incident, where he had been imprisoned until yesterday.
Byrne, who had more than 25 previous convictions for drugs, robbery, larceny and assault, had served 4½ years of a five-year, seven-month sentence and was due for release in August. Yesterday was the first day of his temporary release, granted to prisoners nearing the end of a sentence.
Gardaí believe his killer may have been loitering in the area waiting for Byrne for the last few mornings. They were continuing to search for him last night and were hopeful of an early breakthrough.
Detectives believe the killer may have been tipped off about Byrne's temporary release by another inmate.