Man (19) held for Ringsend shooting

Gardaí were continuing yesterday to question a 19-year-old man about the shooting of a young woman at an unofficial halting site…

Gardaí were continuing yesterday to question a 19-year-old man about the shooting of a young woman at an unofficial halting site in Dublin at the weekend.

The woman, Ms Christina Ward (18), was shot in the leg in the early hours of Saturday morning, at her caravan in Ringsend.

Two masked men, one carrying a shotgun, approached her caravan, opened the door and shot her. They made their escape in a red Honda Civic in the direction of the East Link toll bridge.

Ms Ward was taken to St Vincent's hospital where she underwent surgery. Friends of the family describe her as being in a stable condition, and say she had stood in front of her fiancée to protect him from the assailants.

READ MORE

On Saturday morning, detectives arrested the man for questioning under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. He was brought to Donnybrook Garda station where he continued to be held yesterday afternoon.

Gardaí are investigating whether the weekend's shooting is related to a previous altercation between two groups in Dún Laoghaire.

The use of a shotgun in the attack has also raised fears in the travelling community on the southside of Dublin of a potentially dangerous feud.

Shotguns have been used increasingly in traveller feuds in recent years, leading to at least two deaths in the last five years.