Gardaí believe gangland killing linked to the Kinahan-Hutch feud

Gardaí were last night trying to determine if a man shot dead was killed by the same gang who tried to murder him six months ago and if the attacks are linked to the Kinahan-Hutch gangland feud.

David “Daithí” Douglas (54) was shot yesterday in the doorway of a shop he ran with his wife on Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8.

He was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken by ambulance to St James’s Hospital where efforts to save him were not successful.

Gardaí believe his killer walked up to him and shot him at close range before escaping the area in a silver or grey Mercedes Benz CLA.

The vehicle, registration number 161 D 26702, was stolen from the Navan Road area last Thursday week. It was found on fire at Spitalfields, close to Carman’s Hall, Dublin 8, shortly after the shooting.

The gun was discarded close to the scene, a feature in previous murders carried out by the Kinahan gang in Dublin since the start of the year.

Prison sentences

Garda sources said Douglas had served several lengthy prison sentences for armed robberies, drug dealing and shooting at gardaí and that he may have crossed other criminals over the years.

However, one theory being explored by the murder inquiry team is that he was killed by the Kinahans because the gang believed he was part of a conspiracy to shoot one of its senior members in a west Dublin pub last November.

Gardaí are trying to establish if the Kinahan cartel was behind the wounding of Douglas in a shooting last November and the murder of his associate Darren Kearns last December.

Driveby shooting

Douglas was hit three times in a driveby shooting on November 8th near his home on Killala Road, Cabra, but survived.

Kearns (33) was shot dead in a pub car park on Blackhorse Avenue. A convicted drug dealer, he had spent time in prison with Douglas.

Gardaí believe the Kinahan gang blamed them for involvement in the botched effort to shoot one of its senior figures late last year as part of the Kinahan-Hutch feud.

There had been seven murders as part of the Kinahan-Hutch feud – one last year in Spain and six in Ireland this year – before yesterday's shooting.

Supt Patrick McMenamin of Kevin Street Garda station said the handgun recovered from the scene was being examined and he appealed for anyone who had seen the vehicle in the last week to come forward.

The victim was described by Supt McMenamin as “a family man” with a teenage daughter.

He said there were at least two people involved. “The only description we have is that they were tall and thin.”