Govt pledges war on gangland violence after garda shooting

The Government today vowed a relentless war against gangland violence after an unarmed police officer was gunned down in Dublin.

The Government today vowed a relentless war against gangland violence after an unarmed police officer was gunned down in Dublin.

Garda chiefs also gathered in the capital for talks after a young member of the force became the latest victim of the surging gun crime problem.

The 34-year-old traffic branch officer named as Paul Sherlock was in a stable condition in hospital after being blasted in the stomach with a sawn-off shotgun in the north inner city.

His wife and two young children were said to be at his bedside while his colleagues launched a huge manhunt for the gang behind the attack.

The uniformed officer was on motorbike patrol when he stopped two men travelling in a stolen car beside the Royal Canal close to the city’s financial district shortly after 9am.

One of them dressed in a high-visibility jacket got out and opened fire before speeding off down Ossory Road towards a nearby residential cul-de-sac St Barnabas Gardens.

They abandoned the silver-coloured Nissan Almera hatchback before getting into a white van and making their escape.

The car, with the registration 02-D-68111, had been stolen in May and was apparently spotted by its owner who tipped off gardaí.

At least of one of the gang was wearing a high-visibility jacket, which are often used in armed robberies by criminals posing as construction workers.

Justice Minister Brian Lenihan described the attack as an outrage, adding that gardaí will spare no effort in capturing those responsible.

“There’s a huge operation in progress against gun crime… this is a relentless war we have to conduct against these individuals,” he said.

President Mary McAleese contacted the Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy over the incident described by some politicians as an attack on the State.

The seriousness of the gun attack was signalled by the attendance of three of the Garda Síochána's most senior officers at the case conference at Fitzgibbon Street garda station at midday.

The head of the police force Commissioner Conroy, his successor designate Deputy Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Dublin’s top garda officer Assistant Commissioner Al McHugh all turned out.

The scene of the attack was sealed off as investigating and forensic officers carried out fingertip searches of the surrounding area including the nearby railway.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which is made up of rank-and-file officers, condemned the shooting as a cowardly and despicable act.

GRA president John Egan said the attack highlighted the dangers faced by gardai in carrying out their daily duties to protect the public.

“This incident illustrates the increasing level of gun crime in our towns and cities and the inherent dangers to our members and the public,” he said.

“The shooting is a callous, cowardly and despicable act carried out by people who have no respect for human life.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the garda concerned and his family.”

The shooting comes against a background of growing concern over a surge in gun crime and gangland violence in the Republic.

Last night, Assistant Garda Commissioner Al McHugh, who is responsible for the Dublin city metropolitan area, briefed politicians on gangland crime in the city.

The senior garda officer met the city council’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC) and heard councillors call for police to help those communities at the mercy of criminals.

The shooting of the garda officer comes only days after the murder of man shot and set ablaze in the Finglas area of north Dublin.

Investigating officers believe the murder of 37-year-old Derek Duffy, from St Attracta’s Road in Cabra, on Sunday morning may be drug-related.

The victim was shot in the head as he sat in the passenger seat of his car in Casement Park at around 4am, before the killers sprayed flammable liquid into the car and set it on fire.

Neighbours fought through the flames in a vain attempt to rescue the man.

Although gun crime has soared in recent years shooting attacks on gardaí in the line of duty are still rare in Ireland.

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