Gunman opens fire at busy shopping centre
By Maurice Garvey
A BUSY retail area was plunged into danger on Tuesday afternoon when a gunman opened fire on a number of men, missing the intended targets but causing panic amongst innocent bystanders.
The incident occurred in the carpark of the Deansrath Shopping Centre, Clondalkin, at approximately 4pm on Tuesday, June 30.
Gardai at the scene on Tuesday afternoon Photo by Maurice Garvey
Witnesses told The Echo that a woman and her three kids were walking into the shopping centre at the time of the shooting, found themselves inadvertently in the line of fire, and ran to the nearest newsagent for cover.
“There was three lads, walking in and out of the carpark. They went outside to the bus stop, came back in, and then it seems a motorbike came up from the rear of the carpark and shot at them. He missed them from a matter of yards. Unbelievable. Everybody scattered,” a witness said.
The shopping centre, which contains the Swallows Pub, newsagents, takeaways and other retail outlets, is a busy location, and on a hot mid-summer afternoon, there was a lot of footfall and vehicles coming and going.
St Ronan’s Deansrath National School is 50 yards away from the centre.
Gardai were at the scene when The Echo arrived, conducting investigations and forensics.
A garda source told The Echo that the investigation is in it’s early stages but they are appealing for witnesses to contact them.
“Shots were fired, but we are not 100 per cent sure who was shot at. It is early stages of the investigation. We can’t confirm at this stage how many shots were fired,” said gardai.
An employee at the centre saw the drama unfold.
“It looked like a set-up. The shooter was on a motorbike but I couldn’t see who it was. There was another car involved. A woman and three kids were walking in at the time it kicked off and had to run into the shop.”
The employee said the bullets were fired out towards the entrance to the centre, in the direction of St Cuthbert’s Road.
Anyone with information is asked to contact to Clondalkin Garda Station at 6667600, Garda Confidential Line 1800666111 or through 999/112.
