The family of Dean Johnson, who was shot dead in Clondalkin over a week ago, have appealed for no violence to be perpetrated in retaliation for his death.
The appeal comes as gardaí continue to investigate whether there is a link between the 21-year-old's murder and that of 39-year-old Jason Carroll, who was killed in Clondalkin five days later.
At Dean Johnson’s funeral Mass this morning , Clondalkin parish priest Fr John Dunphy said the man’s parents, Elizabeth (Betty) and Larry had asked him to make a special appeal “to all those who may be tempted towards violence, that they want to say clearly they do not want violence in their name”.
He added: “They want to be able to lay Dean to rest in peace and to know that no violent act is perpetrated on their behalf or on Dean’s behalf.”
As hundreds of mourners packed into the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Rowlagh, Clondalkin, Fr Dunphy said the community had gathered together in “sadness and in shock” following the young man’s death.
“The violent end to his life shocked his family and devastated them and also shocked us as a community,” he said.
“The death of a young man is always tragic, someone who doesn’t get to live their life, someone who has barely lived a life as a man at only 21 years of age.
“The whole community has been left in shock at the violent end to Dean’s life. It has touched all of us as a community but none more so than his own immediate family. It brings mixed emotions to all of us - emotions of pain, emotions of anger, everyone is repulsed by the violence used and feels only pain and sadness for Dean’s family at this time.”
Johnson was fatally wounded at 12.20am at Harelawn Green, Clondalkin in Dublin in the early hours of Saturday, August 24th.
Senior officers expressed shock at the level of violence involved in the death of the 21-year-old who, having initially been shot once in the body was then shot several times in the head and upper body. Although Johnson was known to gardaí, he was regarded as a low-level operator in the drug trade and was not a major gangland figure.
One line of inquiry being followed by the gardaí is whether the second murder may have been a revenge attack which has led to fears of the emergence of a gang-related feud.
Detectives are investigating whether Carroll, who had close links to major underworld figures, and Johnson were engaged in a personal feud. It has led to fears that what began as a localised row may have the potential to lead to a wider feud.
Gardaí are deploying “all necessary resources” in the wake of the two murders including extra patrols in the Clondalkin area, threat-risk assessments and are monitoring the activities of individuals known to them while there was also a covert Garda presence at the young man’s funeral.
