Slaughter in the suburbs as two dads murdered
Two men shot dead in Dublin suburbs... one while pushing a buggy
THERE were demands last night for greater protection for the public after two young fathers were shot dead in a 24-hour period, as gangland crime spilled over and left residents of north Dublin suburbs terrified.
One of the victims was pushing a buggy containing his young son when he was fatally shot in broad daylight at around 4pm yesterday – leaving innocent locals terrified.
The bloodshed prompted calls from politicians for more Garda resources to tackle the prevalance of gun crime and ensure the protection of innocent bystanders.
The young father killed while pushing his son’s buggy was identified last night as Jordan Davis, 22, from Darndale, where he was murdered.
Hours earlier, shortly after 11pm, his friend, 22-year-old Seán Little from Coolock, was shot dead.
Little is believed to have had links to the Kinahan crime cartel.
Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan said the gun violence shows how ‘brazen’ criminals have become. He demanded action from the Government.
‘What we certainly do know at this time is that depraved violence of this nature has no place whatsoever in our society.
‘The prevalence of gun-related violence has continued to intensify, and it is essential that all possible resources are provided to protect the public.
‘This afternoon’s shooting took place near a national school and both staff and pupils are likely to have only made their way home in the hour or so beforehand. That is a terrifying precedent.’
Mr Davis had only recently become a father, and there was shock in Darndale over the nature of the gang hit. He was shot as he walked, with his son in a buggy, down a laneway between a church and a school on Marigold Road. His killer cycled up to him on a pushbike and shot him dead.
It is believed Mr Davis knew his killer, as the pair chatted for a minute before the shooter produced a handgun and blasted him at close range as he stood with his infant son in his buggy.
A friend who was walking alongside him managed to flee the gunman and seek refuge metres away at a community centre.
A St Vincent De Paul meeting was under way when the young man ran ‘hysterical’ into the centre seeking help.
A source said: ‘After shooting Davis dead, the gunman on the pushbike took aim at his friend but he managed to get away. This was a shocking daylight attack, there were loads of people milling around the area, including kids.
‘The fact a gunman on a bike could just cycle up and do this in broad daylight, it’s unbelievable.’
The Irish Daily Mail understands the boy in the buggy wasn’t physically harmed. The victim’s friend shouted, ‘they’re after shooting my mate!’ when he burst into the centre.
It is understood some community workers raced outside just as Davis was dying. He had been shot several times in the head and upper body at point-blank range.
Just 20 minutes before his own murder, Mr Davis posted a social media tribute and a photograph of himself alongside his dead friend, Seán Little, writing: ‘Rest in paradise you wer [sic] a gent.’
Little was gunned down after being lured into an ambush shortly after 11pm on Tuesday night near Balbriggan in north Co.Dublin.
Neither victim had serious criminal convictions but both were involved in the sale and supply of drugs. It is understood that armed Garda patrols were put in place last night in the part of north Dublin connected to the violence.
The first victim, Seán Little, was potentially murdered over a ‘significant’ drugs debt of over €30,000, sources say. He had no criminal convictions, save for a road traffic offence. But senior sources say the 22-year-old was ‘well known to gardaí’ as an ‘active’ drug dealer in north Dublin.
He is related to another more prominent drug dealer, who is a lieutenant for the Kinahan cartel, it is understood. He is also closely aligned to a major Finglas drugs boss, nicknamed ‘Mr Flashy’.
This crime boss, also linked to the Kinahan cartel, is embroiled in a bitter dispute with criminals from Blanchardstown.
Mr Little was also a close friend of Zach Parker, another drug dealer who was shot dead outside a gym in Swords in January.
Jordan Davis was a close friend and associate of Mr Little. Sources said he, too, was a drug dealer but also did not have any serious criminal convictions.
A few weeks ago he was fined €200 for possessing cannabis for personal use. He was set to appear before the District Court in July on a charge of possession of cannabis for sale and supply.
Intelligence suggests that the first victim, Mr Little, had run up a ‘significant’ drugs debt.
However, sources said there could be other motivation for his killing, including his links to serious criminals aligned to the Kinahan cartel.
Mr Little’s lifeless body was found 15ft from his black Opel Insignia car, which had been set alight. The grim discovery was made down a laneway at Walshestown, near Junction 5 on the M1 motorway from Dublin to Belfast, at 11.20pm on Tuesday night.
Detectives are trying to establish if Mr Little willingly travelled to the location in his own car as part of a ‘double cross’. Gardaí suspect this is the ‘most likely’ scenario.
Gardaí also believe both killings are linked to a non-fatal drive-by shooting in Mulhuddart on Tuesday night, in which people exchanged gunfire from two cars, one a black Lexus.
Mr O’Callaghan yesterday called on the Justice Minister to ‘immediately’ examine what extension of Garda resources can be made to bring this type of violence under control. Denouncing the two killings, Minister Charlie Flanagan said: ‘I utterly condemn any violent loss of life and I am extremely concerned about the three shooting incidents.’
‘This is a terrifying precedent’ Said to have run up ‘serious drug debt’