GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING a fatal stabbing in Dublin at the weekend have recovered a number of weapons from the Grand Canal.
David Byrne (19), who had an address on Davitt Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12, died in hospital after being stabbed a number of times in the car park of an apartment block in Inchicore on Saturday night.
Investigating officers believe Mr Byrne came out of his home at Davitt House flats and was chased by at least four men across a bridge over the Grand Canal and into nearby Emmet Court flats.
He was alive when gardaí and paramedics arrived at the scene. He was taken by ambulance to St James’s Hospital but efforts to save him were unsuccessful.
The results of the postmortem had not been released last night.
Members of the Garda Water Unit carried out a search of a stretch of the Grand Canal close to where Mr Byrne was attacked and retrieved a number of implements, including a knife. These have been passed on to the Garda Technical Bureau which will attempt to establish if the weapons were used in the incident.
Gardaí have also searched the area between Mr Byrne’s home and Emmet Court for evidence and CCTV footage has also been reviewed.
Mr Byrne was known to gardaí for involvement in petty crime but he was not regarded as a serious gangland criminal. Officers have looked into his background to see if he might have been involved in any recent disputes.
Gardaí believe the attack did not happen randomly and that the men were waiting for him.
Mr Byrne’s uncle, Bill Hayes, told RTÉ Radio that his nephew was a lovely young fellow whose interests included sport. He said the family was in a state of shock.
Flowers were laid yesterday at Emmet Court by Mr Byrne’s friends and relatives.
Anyone with information on the murder, or who may have seen Mr Byrne or his attackers about the time of the killing, is asked to contact Kilmainham Garda station on 01-6667300.