An air of shock hung over the Premier Dairies plant in Churchtown, Dublin, yesterday as gardai sealed the plant's car-park at Whitehall Road and awaited the arrival of the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.
As word of the killing spread through the huge Premier Dairies/ HB plant, some several hundred yards around a bend in the road from the car-park, workers who had minutes earlier left their cars returned to find themselves politely but firmly rebuffed by gardai.
As gardai restricted onlookers to the pavement opposite the entrance to the car-park and erected a plastic screen around the victim's car, there was intense speculation about the motive for the killing.
By 10.30 a.m. those who knew the dead man during his 15 years with Premier Dairies could be seen standing in small groups, clearly in shock. While the name of the victim was by then being spoken openly among those gathered at the scene, no one wanted to venture a motive for the killing.
Locals pointed to the security video camera on a post above the car-park. A rumour went around, later confirmed by gardai, that the killers had not worn masks and had spoken to a company employee who provided security for cars.
"They don't care. They are cold bastards," said one man.
Others pointed to the nearby Good Shepherd national primary school, which is between the car park and the plant. They said it was lucky that school had begun before the shooting.
The Irish Times understands that as many as nine workers may have been in the vicinity of the car-park at the time of the shooting.
Premier Dairies called workers together at 2 p.m. to explain "as much as the company knows about the incident", according to a spokesman. It offered counselling to those who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting and those who felt they needed it because of knowing and working alongside the victim.
The spokesman said Premier Dairies "had the greatest concern for the victim's family, friends and colleagues and anyone who was in the vicinity at the time".
