Two arrested as Garda shot in chest in Dublin

A Garda sergeant has been shot and wounded in the Dublin suburb of Crumlin.

Two men were arrested after the incident, which took place on Monasterboice Road shortly after 7.00am.

It is understood the gunman was spotted by gardaí and a chase ensued during which at least one shot was

fired.

The Garda was hit in the chest. The injured officer was taken to St James's Hospital where his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

A car suspected to have been involved in the shooting was pursued to the Drimnagh area, where it crashed. Two men fled from the car and attempted to hijack another vehicle but were arrested at the scene.

The men are being detained at Sundrive Road and Crumlin stations under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

Gardaí have not revealed if the shooting is related to the murder of a man in Walkinstown last night that has been linked to an ongoing drugs feud in the area.

Gary Bryan (31) was working on a car at Bunting Road in Walkinstown at around 7pm when he was approached by a gunman who walked up to him and shot him in the head a number of times.

The attacker then fled in a silver-coloured car, believed to be a Subaru, that drove away down Balfe Road. Bryan fell to the ground and died at the scene.

He was well-known to gardaí and his death is believed to be linked to an ongoing feud between drug dealers in the Crumlin and Drimnagh areas.

Superintendent Bart Faulkner from Crumlin Garda Station, today described the killing as a "cold-blooded murder".

The gunman was around five feet, nine inches tall, of stocky build. He was wearing a hooded top and possibly a wig.

Gardaí at Sundrive Road want to talk to anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area between 6.30pm and 7pm. Anyone with information should contact detectives on 01 666 6674.

Sinn Féin justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh, who is a TD for the area, raised both shootings in the Dáil today.

He said gun and drug crime was still rampant despite the launch of Operation Anvil - a major initiative to crack down on the problem.

"Operation Anvil has failed absolutely to deliver on its purported objective of tackling gun crime, as a result of under-resourcing and despite the courage of gardaí, leaving thousands of Dublin residents at risk," he said.