Teen arrested after horror knife attack is f ilmed on mobile phone
GARDAÍ have arrested a 17-year-old boy who is believed to have taken part in the videoing of a vicious gangland stabbing – footage of which then went viral on social media.
It’s believed the teenager recorded the attack in Dublin’s south inner city on Sunday evening on his mobile phone and, chillingly, that the gang themselves put it on social media with no fear of being caught.
Gardaí are now hunting the 30-year-old who is suspected of carrying out the ‘repeated and brutal stabbing’ of the 32-yearold victim.
Both suspects are considered ‘muscle’ for a drugs gang operating within the James Street area of the capital, which encompassed several flat complexes ravaged by drug abuse. The attack is believed to be linked to a drugs debt.
A senior source said: ‘The fact this attack was filmed shows how little they care about being caught. One of the men is identified by name in the video. They clearly just want to send a message to other drug users: “Pay up or this will happen to you too.” This gang put this video out into general circulation themselves.’
The source added that the victim of the attack – carried out on a balcony within the Basin Street flats complex at about 6.35pm – is believed to owe less than €100 for crack cocaine and is considered a ‘serious’ addict.
He was last night receiving treatment at St James’s Hospital, following surgery.
On the video, he is clearly seen being stabbed multiple times.
In the video, the victim and his friend acknowledge that they owed money for drugs to the two men.
In the middle of the conversation, the stabbing attack begins, apparently out of nowhere.
As the victim is repeatedly stabbed with a large kitchen knife, he is called a ‘rat’ and a ‘coward’ by his two assailants.
The victim is then seen doubled over on the balcony and bleeding heavily from his head as his two attackers flee. Sources say the teenage suspect, who was arrested yesterday morning, is well known to gardaí for his involvement in organised crime.
The 30-year-old criminal who gardaí believe carried out the stabbing is from the Bluebell area of Dublin and has numerous previous convictions, including for possession of knives. It is understood he was previously jailed for the reckless endangerment of a child in a terrifying incident, when the criminal was just a teenager.
Gardaí became aware of the video on Sunday night. As a consequence, they were able to identify the 17-year-old suspect as well as the 30-year-old.
A Garda spokesman said: ‘Gardaí are investigating a stabbing incident that took place in the Basin Street flats area of Dublin 8 on Sunday at approximately 6.35pm.
‘A man in his 30s received a number of stab wounds and was taken to St James’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A male youth, 17 years, has been arrested in relation to this incident.’
ali.bracken@dailymail.ie
‘Just want to send a message’