Update 12.10pm
GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING THE fatal shooting of Darren Kearns in Dublin yesterday have said it is “very lucky” that nobody else was hurt.
The victim was sitting in a car with his wife outside Cumiskey’s pub when a lone gunman began firing ‘indiscriminately’ into the vehicle.
He was shot a number of times, including bullets fired to the head, at about 5.40pm.
His wife was not injured in the attack. Gardaí said it was lucky there was no other fatalities as there were people walking in the car park at the time.
Kearns, a 33 year old with an address on the Navan Road, was known to gardaí. They have expressed their sympathies to his family, describing the crime as “horrendous”.
At a media briefing held this morning in Cabra, gardaí say they believed the men involved in the shooting were in a Chinese restaurant located above Cumiskey’s before the murder.
Appealing for witnesses to come forward, Inspector Tony Twomey also asked members of the public who were in the Phoenix Park or Blackhorse Avenue areas between 4pm and 6pm yesterday to contact them.
They are also trying to trace the movements of a light-coloured BMW Five Series with a registration plate 04-D-35151.
That car was found burnt out on a laneway off Regal Park on Blackhorse Avenue, not far from the scene.
Twomey said the investigation is at an early stage and multiple lines of inquiry are being followed.
Jail time
Kearns was convicted of drug offences in 2012 after being found in possession of more than €1.7 million worth of cannabis in August 2010.
He was jailed for six years after pleading guilty. According to court reports at the time, he had built up drug debts of €180,000 and agreed to move the cannabis to reduce what he owed.
Local TD Joe Costello offered his sympathies to the Kearns family, adding that the community was in shock following the shooting.
“Blackhorse Avenue runs along the perimeter wall of the Phoenix Park and is a quiet residential area,” he said in a statement.
However, today’s shooting is the second such activity in the space of a couple of months in the general Cabra area. It has all the hallmarks of a gangland killing.
He also called for full service to be resumed at Cabra garda station.
“Cabra must not become a centre for criminal gangs to engage in their feuding activities,” he added.
“Cabra needs the extra community gardaí and the extra patrols which the garda authorities promised last month. I believe it is also time to consider fully re-opening Cabra garda station.
“While there are certain logistical reasons for having the garda station open only during the day, there are strong policing and community considerations for having a permanent Garda presence round the clock in the heart of Cabra as was the situation previously.”
Investigating gardaí have issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward and contact them on 01 666 7400 or the confidential line on 1800 666 111.
With reporting by Cianan Brennan
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