GARDAÍ HAVE launched a murder inquiry after one of the youngest criminals ever targeted by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) was shot dead in a gangland attack.
The 20-year-old victim, Tommy Joyce, was shot in the head and chest outside his home on the Grove Lane halting site near Darndale, north Dublin, just after 7.30pm yesterday. His was the 16th gun murder of the year.
Joyce and another man were talking when a car pulled up. One of the occupants got out of the vehicle, singled out Joyce and began firing a handgun at him.
The victim tried to run but was wounded in the upper body and the back of the head. He was taken by ambulance to nearby Beaumont Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 9pm.
The car gardaí believe was used by the killers was found near Campions pub, Balgriffin, less than a mile from Grove Lane. The murder scene will undergo an examination today by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
Garda sources said the victim had “many enemies”.
Some criminals in Darndale believed Joyce had a role in the shooting dead of drug dealer BJ Clarke (21) in Artane, Dublin, last month. Gardaí believe yesterday’s attack could be linked to the Clarke murder.
Joyce had also clashed with men involved in a major gangland feud in Sheriff Street in the Dublin’s north inner city. Detectives are investigating if that row was behind Joyce’s killing.
Gardaí believe Joyce knew his life was in danger and that he may have been targeted in a recent shooting that was not reported. Joyce was targeted by Cab at the High Court in January when aged just 19 years. The head of the bureau, Det Chief Supt John O’Mahoney told the court that Joyce, a member of the Travelling community, was part of a major cocaine gang in Coolock.
Despite having no legitimate income he had two cars worth over €100,000. He had paid €70,000 cash as part payment for a Range Rover SE Sports and also had a BMW.
One of Joyce’s close associates was wounded in a gun attack coming out of the Total Fitness gym on the Malahide Rd, Coolock, last June. He survived the attack.
The same man was also the target of another shooting attempt in a pub in Coolock last year but had stepped into the toilets when the gunman entered the premises.
Last October, a planned Garda search targeting the gang yielded a spent hand grenade, cocaine valued at €75,000, ammunition, an imitation sawn-off shotgun and a Samurai sword.
In two searches in January 2008, gardaí seized cocaine from the gang valued at just over €2 million. The drugs were found during Operation Thaw, established by Supt Mark Curran in Coolock.
During one of the raids, gardaí found a cocaine mixing plant with cocaine valued at €1.5 million along with glucose mixing agent, weighing scales and blenders, a gun, ammunition and cash.
In the other raid, cocaine valued at €560,000 was found along with ammunition and cash. In January 2007, gardaí seized cocaine and cannabis valued at €500,000 from the gang. On that occasion, two firearms were also found as well as assorted ammunition, stolen property and cash.
