Feud link to killing investigated

Gardaí investigating the murder of a teenage girl in Dublin have appealed for information about the movements of a black SUV from which the shots that fatally wounded her were fired.

The victim, named locally as Melanie McCarthy McNamara (16), died at Tallaght Hospital at about 1am.

She was shot in the head while sitting in a Nissan Almera car with three men at Brookview Way in Tallaght at about 10.30pm last night.

Gardaí said a black Hyundai Santa Fe pulled up alongside the Almera and a number of shots, most likely from a shotgun, were discharged towards the rear passenger side window.

The Hyundai, which was stolen and displaying a false 07 D number plate, then left the area via Brookview Avenue and Fortunestown Lane. It was later found abandoned at Brownbarn near Citywest, about five minutes away.

The victim was taken to Tallaght Hospital from the scene but died as a result of her injuries a short time later. A postmortem was scheduled to be carried out on her body by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar today.

Gardaí from Tallaght are investigating the murder and today conducted house to house inquiries in the Brookview Way area. Garda forensics and ballistics teams have examined the scene of the shooting and detectives are also examining CCTV from the area in an attempt to trace the movements of the Hyundai.

Crime scenes were also being preserved at Brown's Barn and Tallaght Hospital, where the Nissan Almera in which she was injured was driven to.

A number of lines of inquiry are being investigated including the possibility that the girl was not the intended victim of the attack. The possibility that the attack might be linked to a family feud is also under examination.

During a press conference at Tallaght Garda station today, Chief Supt John Manley condemned the attack.

"This was a particularly heinous crime involving a young girl of 16-years of age," he said. "I would appeal to the community to reflect on this and to take a step back and to provide whatever assistance they can give us to investigate this crime."

Supt John Gilligan of the Garda Press Office said the Hyundai vehicle may have been waiting in the area for as long as half an hour before the attack.

"We believe some people out walking, going out or coming home may have seen something in relation to the jeep and may have some information to give us," he said.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said he "deplored" the shooting.

"All violent deaths are shocking but the killing of a young person especially so," he said. "I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to her family and friends."

He said gardaí were determined "to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. And we as a Government are determined to do everything we can to support them".

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Tallaght Garda station at 01-6666050 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.