A man in his 40s was shot dead outside a pub in Dublin last night. The shooting happened at the Drake Inn on Main Street in Finglas, west Dublin shortly after 8.30pm.
The man, who was named locally as David Thomas, was standing in the doorway of the pub when a car pulled up outside and a gunman got out and him in the head. He was shot in the head a second time and fell back into the hallway of the pub.
It is believed that following the shooting a man ran from the scene, down towards the Allied Irish Bank in Finglas where he got into a dark blue Opel Corsa near a taxi rank.
Anyone who may have witnessed the car being abandoned in Glasmeen Court at approximately 8.45pm or anyone leaving the scene on foot is asked contact Gardaí at Finglas or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-66-111.
Thomas was found guilty of assaulting two gardaí and of possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury nine years ago.
He was cleared of murdering another man during a Finglas pub row by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. Thomas was given concurrent suspended sentences of nine and four years.
Thomas, of Cloonlara Crescent, Finglas, denied all the charges, and was cleared of the murder of Eamon O'Reilly (23), of Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, on January 11th, 1998.
The court heard a fight broke out between the families in a pub that day, which culminated in the shooting dead of Mr O'Reilly.
Thomas arrived at the bar and saw his mother being struck with a pool cue by Mr O'Reilly. Thomas then discharged his shotgun and Mr O'Reilly later died from his injuries.
Two gardaí were shot in a raid on a flat where Thomas and members of his family were hiding out following the death.
On January 15th, 1998, armed gardaí and members of the Emergency Response Unit stormed the flat. The two gardaí were shot and wounded in the raid. Gardaí fired no shots. Thomas said he thought the gardaí at the door were the O'Reilly faction.