| Gardaí fear escalation in violence after
shooting GARDAÍ are bracing themselves for an escalation in
gun violence in Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s constituency after the
second fatal shooting in the area in a fortnight.
Sources in Dublin’s north inner city claimed the country’s
27th gun death victim Stephen Ledden was killed in retaliation for the
shooting dead of Gerard Byrne on December 13.
Detectives are investigating whether the deaths are part of a feud between
two local families — one headed by a major drug dealer.
But there were conflicting theories as to whether 28-year-old Mr Ledden
was the intended target or was mistakenly shot.
He was murdered as he slept on the couch at his unlocked home on Oriel
Street Upper after celebrating St. Stephen’s night with up to four
other people in the house.
The murder will add further pressure on the Irish Government and the gardaí
who are desperately endeavouring to respond to the upsurge in violent
crime.
Mr Ledden is the 27th person to have been shot dead this year and the
67th person to have died violently, according to provisional figures.
This compares to 21 gun murders and 63 violent deaths in 2005.
The killing was the fourth gangland murder in Dublin in little over two
weeks and the 16th fatal shooting in the capital this year.
Independent TD Tony Gregory said: “There needs to be more intensive
surveillance and policing down there to deal with this spate of killings.
This could be the beginning of something that will spiral.”
Local Sinn Féin councillor Christy Burke appealed for calm and
suggested mediation between the two feuding families.
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