LAST UPDATE | 29 Dec 2023

A MAN HAS been arrested following an apparent gangland shooting, in which one man was killed and another critically injured in west Dublin on Christmas Eve. 

The suspected attacker was killed in the aftermath of the shooting at Browne’s Steakhouse on Blanchardstown main street at 8pm on Sunday. He has been named locally as Tristan Sherry (20s).

A man in his 40s has been receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained in the incident.

Gardaí have today said they arrested a male in relation to the investigation into the serious incident.

He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a garda station in west Dublin.

Sources have said gardaí believe Mr Sherry was a participant in the initial shooting and was tackled and stabbed after the shots were fired.

It is understood that the intended targets of the shooting were having a meal with associates inside the restaurant on the night.

Sources have said it is believed Sherry’s gun misfired after an initial volley of shots rang out hitting one of the group – that man, who is in his 40s, has been before the courts for a number of offences.  

Sherry was set upon by people and repeatedly stabbed, up to 30 times, in what sources have said was a frenzied attack. One of the young men is believed to have ran out the door with the gun.

There is extensive clear CCTV of the incident and gardaí have used that along with forensic evidence to make the arrest. They are treating the death of Sherry as murder and do not believe that self defence can be used given the disportionate violence used by the group.

The incident is linked to a feud in the Corduff area which erupted in 2019 when two sides of a gang fell out. 

That split was centred around two families in the area and is directly related to the drugs trade. There have been multiple shootings including shots fired near a school and other broad daylight random shootings on the street. There was also a machete attack at Finglas Garda Station.

Gardaí in Blanchardstown backed up by colleagues in Finglas flooded the area at the time and made large seizures of firearms and drugs as well other paraphernalia and it quelled the feud.

Sources said there are now fears of a return to that level of tit-for-tat violence so gardaí have upped armed patrols in the area.

Gardaí have also stepped up uniformed patrols in Dublin after the incident amid fears of reprisal attacks.

Gardaí have appealed to the public not to share videos captured in the aftermath of the violence and to be aware of “a significant level of speculation, misinformation and disinformation”.