Man killed in Dublin shooting

A man has died after being shot up to eight times in the head and body in a gangland attack in north Dublin.

Colm (Collie) Owens (34) from Finglas was shot at the Corn Store animal feed warehouse, where he worked, in the Grove industrial estate, Dubber Cross, Finglas shortly after midday.

The father of one, who had addresses at Bishopsmede, Clanbrassil Street, in Dublin's south inner city and at Dunsoghly Avenue in Finglas, had no previous convictions but was known to be an associate of murdered crime boss Eamon Dunne, who was killed in a pub in Cabra in April.

A lone gunman wearing dark clothes and a balaclava walked into the industrial estate at approximately 12.10pm.

Gardaí said the gunman casually entered the warehouse before confronting Mr Owens and shooting him repeatedly at close range in the presence of several other employees.

After the shooting, the gunman ran to a waiting silver Audi A4 car before being driven away by an accomplice.

At a briefing in Finglas Garda station, gardaí said they believed the car travelled in the direction of Jamestown Road before turning onto the main Finglas dual-carriageway, and heading in the direction of the Clearwater Shopping Centre.

Superintendent Dave Dowling said the car collided with two other vehicles at the Tolka Valley Road junction, but there were no reported injuries.

Two men were later seen leaving the vehicle in Carrigallen Estate in Finglas outh.

Supt Dowling said gardai were carrying out a detailed forensic examination of the Audi car used by the killers, but declined to reveal whether they had recovered the murder weapon.

He appealed to anyone who was in the area at the time of the attack to contact officers in Finglas Garda station.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said he backed calls for a high-profile armed policing presence in the capital's troubled neighbourhoods, similar to Limerick.

"I would favour the type of in-your-face policing which has been working well in Limerick," he said.

"In relation to this incident we will have to wait and see, but I would like to see heightened security as we have seen in Limerick, and also Dublin, in recent times."

Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte said the killing, once again, showed the "viciousness" of the criminal gangs that are operating in our society.

“We know from previous experience that a murder like this is likely to set off another vicious round of tit-for-tat killings and there is a danger that, once again, innocent people will be caught in the crossfire,” he said.

The small industrial estate off Dubber Lane in Finglas, where the shooting took place, was sealed off this afternoon while Garda forensic experts conducted an examination of the area.

Apart from the animal feed outlet where the victim worked, the remote industrial estate contained three other businesses, including a Fás-funded youth training centre.

State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy carried out a preliminary examination of the body and a full postmortem is due to be conducted on the body tomorrow.