Irish police have increased uniformed patrols in Dublin following a shooting incident at Browne’s Steakhouse on Christmas Eve.
A man in his 20s died from injuries sustained during the incident, while a second man in his 40s is in serious condition with gunshot wounds.
Both were taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital, where the younger man was pronounced dead. Gardaí are exploring whether the deceased was involved in the initial attack and tackled afterward.
The incident is believed to be gang-related and linked to an ongoing drugs and gun-related feud. No arrests have been made.
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar said he was “shocked” to hear about the shooting at “a well known family restaurant I’ve visited many times”.
“Full Garda investigation under way. My thanks to them and solidarity to staff and customers,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Justice minister Helen McEntee said that the attack taking place where families had gathered was “disgusting”.
“That anyone could perpetrate such violence as families gathered together is especially disgusting,” Helen McEntee wrote on social media.
“I deplore the violence in Blanchardstown tonight.
“This viciousness has resulted in unimaginable human suffering this Christmas,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I’m thinking of the bereaved, those who were at the scene and indeed all the emergency service personnel working tonight and over Christmas who have to deal with this senseless violence.”
The scene remains preserved for a technical examination.
Gardaí have appealed to the public not to share videos from the scene in the aftermath of the shooting, and to be aware of “a significant level of speculation, misinformation and disinformation” that is being circulated.