Gardaí have launched a murder inquiry following the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man in west Dublin last night.
Damien Dowdall, who was not known to gardaí, died after two gunmen attacked him at his girlfriend's house in Lealand Estate in Clondalkin shortly after 10pm.
Gardaí say two men called to the house and forced their way inside where they confronted the victim in the sitting room and fired two shots at him.
Damien and Carol Dowdell arrive at the scene of their son's fatal shooting in Clondalkin Dublin. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh
Both suspects escaped from the scene on foot towards Deansrath Park. Mr Dowdall was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers leading the investigation are meeting to confirm a motive for the brutal killing as it revives political controversy around spiralling gun crimes, which claimed 27 lives last year.
The victim's parents visited the scene of the murder this morning.
An onlooker said: "The mother was in tears and his father spoke to gardai and shook hands with officers guarding the crime scene."
Superintendent John Hartnett is leading the investigation and has already held a case conference with his officers at Clondalkin Garda Station.
Forensic officers are examining the area for clues and detectives are carrying out door-to-door inquiries.
Elsewhere in the capital, gardaí arrested two men aged 23 and 26 after a failed gun attack on a house in Loughlinstown, in south Co Dublin.
A shot was fired through the front door of a house at Loughlinstown Wood at about 2.30am.
Four people were in the house at the time, but there were no injuries.
Local Fianna Fáil TD Barry Andrews said the capture of showed that Operation Anvil - which targets gangland crime - was working.
"All credit to the local Gardaí who have arrested two men following the gun attack ... this comes after two drug seizures in Loughlinstown this month, one of which was valued at over €1 million.," Mr Andrews said.
Labour Party justice spokesman Brendan Howlin said the attacks suggest last year's record level of gun crime is set to continue in 2007.
"Murders jumped by almost 16 per cent last year and what's just as worrying is that we know that detection rates for this most serious of crimes, are dropping, Mr Howlin said.
"While the minister has promised plan after plan to tackle these crimes, the simple fact remains that increasing the number of visible Gardai on the street would both deter criminals and reassure the public.
More officers on the street was an important deterrent of crime but the failure to increase the Garda numbers to 14,000 as promised in the Programme for Government remains Mr McDowell's "single biggest failing", he added.
Last night's killing is the second violent death in 2007. Last week, father of five Michael Gallagher was stabbed to death at his partner's home on Tymonville Road, Tallaght.
Gardaí were puzzled by the attack on the 60-year-old painter and decorator, who had no criminal convictions.
Last year there were 63 violent deaths, including 27 gun killings - the largest number in almost a decade.