Gardaí say they don’t believe at this stage that there’s a link between two murders in Dublin within 24 hours of one another. Two friends were shot dead in separate incidents in Darndale and Walshestown.
22 year old Sean Little was found dead in Walshestown on Tuesday night next to a car that was on fire. The following afternoon, just minutes after posting a tribute to his friend on social media, Jordan Davis – also 22 – was shot dead in Darndale.
The gunman cycled down a laneway and shot him a number of times while he was pushing a buggy. Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy says there are people in the area with information – and is urging them to come forward:
”We know that the red mountain bike that was involved in this was in the area on the days preceeding the killing and we also know that it was there in the hours preceeding it.”
Gardai say they’re not making a link between the two murders at this stage. And while they haven’t yet established a motive, Assistant Commissioner Leahy has made an appeal to parents and young people in particular not to get involved in the drugs trade:
”Low-level dealing now is enough to have you, you know, your life taken at a young age and we’ve seen it now time and time again across the city over the last number of weeks, over the last number of years.”
Meanwhile public representatives say the country’s latest murders have caused widespread shock and outrage among local communities.
Opposition parties are demanding increased Garda resources to try and stamp out violent crime gangs.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohue is also a Dublin Central TD and says he knows only too well how people in the areas affected by the latest killings are feeling:
”Like many other Dubliners, I am appalled at the murders that have happened, at the loss of life, at the risk that is involved when we see murder like this. Unfortunately I am only too aware of the level of worry, anxiety and upset.”
Fianna Fáil says the violence shows how brazen those involved have become and claims it’s clear the shootings will continue unless The Justice Minister examines what resources can be given to Gardaí to bring them under control.
But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says Gardai are having some success:
”They’ve had a lot of success in places like Limerick and also Dublin’s north east inner city in dealing with gangland crime but it’s not something that ever goes away and that’s why we need to continue to be vigilant. That’s why the gardaí this year have unprecedented resources.”
The government says 300 new garda cars are coming on stream along with 2,000 hand-held devices and over five years, €300 million will be pumped into the force.
