TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has described as an "appalling outrage" the shooting dead of Dubliner Aidan O'Kane (50), who had been subject to sustained intimidation and attacks by a teenage gang.
"It's particularly appalling that it seems to be people of quite a young age who were involved in this crime, or certainly suspected of it," Mr Cowen said. The shooting reinforced the decision of Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern to review the licensing of handguns.
The suspected killer is a 15-year-old youth from the East Wall area of Dublin's north inner city, where the murder occurred. He was being questioned by gardaí last night. Three other youths, aged 13, 16 and 18, have also been arrested as well as a 19-year-old woman.
Assistant Commissioner Al McHugh has appealed for the public's assistance in solving the murder. He believes at least 10 children were outside Mr O'Kane's house on Shelmalier Road and close to a laneway leading into Bargy Road where he was shot just after 7pm on Sunday. He urged parents in the area to find out if their children were present and to contact gardaí immediately if they had witnessed anything.
The shooting of Mr O'Kane, who was not a criminal and whose killing was the 20th gun murder this year, has drawn criticism of the Government's record in tackling gun crime. Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan called for a special Dáil debate on the "watershed" murder. He urged the Government to order a Garda crackdown on guns and knives and to increase the use of curfews against problem teenagers.