A MAN has been shot dead in north County Dublin in an attack which bore all the hallmarks of a gangland killing.
The victim was shot twice in the head at Station Road near the Dart stop in Portmarnock shortly after 10.30 pm.
He is the 19th person to have been shot dead this year and the attack follows an attempted murder in a shooting incident in the north city suburb of Killester on Saturday morning.
Emergency services rushed to the scene following reports of the shooting in Portmarnock.
Details about the incident remained sketchy last night but gardaí at Malahide led by Chief Superintendent Gerry Philips and Superintendent Mark Curran, are leading the investigation.
The identity of the victim had not been established last night and the area remained sealed off for forensic examination.
On Saturday a convicted drug dealer survived an apparent murder attempt when his would-be attacker's hand gun jammed as he was about to be shot at point blank range.
The incident occurred outside the home of convicted cocaine dealer Eamon Kelly in Killester, north Dublin. Garda sources said Kelly has not made any complaint to them. However, gardaí believe the incident did happen. An investigation has begun at Raheny Garda station.
Kelly (63) was one of the first people in the State to be jailed for his involvement in dealing large amounts of cocaine.
Gardaí believe he walked out of his house on Furry Park Road, Killester, at around 10.30am on Saturday, and was confronted by a gunman. The armed man attempted to shoot Kelly, but his weapon jammed.
The gunman then ran from the scene in the direction of nearby Howth Road.
It is believed Kelly tackled the attacker for a moment, before he managed to free himself and run off. The suspect has been described to gardaí by witnesses as being around 1.63m (5ft 11in) in height, of heavy build, and wearing navy tracksuit bottoms and a navy hooded tracksuit top.