Gardaí have begun a murder investigation after a man who was shot at a north Dublin caravan park yesterday afternoon died as a result of his injuries.
Michael Taylor (53), from Summerhill in north inner city Dublin, died at Beaumont Hospital this morning at 9am. A postmortem examination is to be carried out on his body later today.
He was shot several times at the Vivian Hand caravan park, off Corballis Road, near Donabate Golf Club at about 4.30pm yesterday.
Gardaí from Swords are investigating the shooting which they said was reckless and callous and could have put other lives at risk as there was a large number of people in the vicinity at the time of the attack.
At a case briefing today, Supt Mark Curran said that two men entered the caravan park and attacked the man shortly after he arrived with a friend.
Supt Curran said it was likely that both men were armed and that a number of shots were fired, wounding Mr Taylor in the head and body. “They may have followed him to the caravan park or they may have been laying in wait.”
Shots fired by the gunmen also hit a nearby car and went through a caravan window. Supt Curran said it was fortunate nobody else was injured.
"I think the fact that there were a lot of people around and the fact that a number of rounds were discharged there was a reckless nature to the attack and lives were possibly put at risk," he said.
The caravan park where the attack occurred is a popular holiday and weekend-away destination with families from Dublin city. It was very busy as families holidayed on what was the first busy weekend of the summer.
Gardaí said the men had either followed the victim to the caravan park or were waiting for him there when he arrived.
The gunmen, who were wearing balaclavas and hooded tops, left the scene in the direction of Donabate beach and got into a stolen metallic blue 09 D registration Opel Insignia, which was found burned out near Turvey Woods in Donabate a short time later.
Supt Curran said the men then got into a black Honda Civic car with an 07 D registration and left the area. The car has not been located.
The scene of the shooting was sealed off immediately and the area was examined by officers. A thorough forensic examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau took place today.
At least 50 witnesses who were present at the time of the shooting have been interviewed and more than 40 gardaí are investigating the incident.
Supt Curran said a number of lines of inquiry were being followed.
The victim previously escaped injury after a hand grenade exploded when thrown at a house in the north inner city. That incident was linked to a dispute between two men from the north inner city, one of whom is associated with the man shot in Donabate.
That dispute began about five years ago when the men, who were at one time close friends, fell out in an argument over damage to a car. Tensions escalated over time and the ongoing violence is regarded by gardaí as a personal feud rather than a gangland dispute.
Anyone with information about the shooting or who noticed any suspicious activity in the Donabate area or the Opel Insignia or Honda Civic cars is asked to contact Swords Garda station on (01) 666 4700.
