Gardaí braced for escalation in ‘very chaotic' gang feud after murder of Joseph McEvoy in Clondalkin
are stepping up armed patrols and checkpoints in parts of west
Dublin
following the murder of Joseph McEvoy on Monday morning after a night of feud-related violence.
The fatal assault on the 34-year-old
, a father of two, is regarded as a sharp escalation in tensions between two large groups of teenagers and young men that has been ongoing for about two years.
Some of the previous attacks in the feud, of which there have been scores, involved serious violence such as petrol bombings, stabbings and an attempted murder.
Gardaí fear the killing of Mr McEvoy could further escalate the rivalry and make it more bitter, with one source saying it was already 'very chaotic'.
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Mr McEvoy, from Greenfort Avenue, Clondalkin, was attacked with a machete or similar weapon at a house in Shancastle, Clondalkin. He was not known for involvement in organised crime or regarded as a participant in the feud.
Joseph McEvoy (34) was found with stab wounds at a house on Shancastle Close, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, just before 6am on Monday. He later died. Photograph: Quarryvale FC Instagram page
Gardaí believe a young associate of his was attacked previously as part of the violence and that Mr McEvoy was seen as a soft target for the other faction.
One of the most serious attacks in the feud was on a close associate of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan. However, Gilligan (73) is currently living in Spain and has no involvement in the violence in Dublin.
Though the previous attacks have been investigated, with charges arising against several suspects – including a charge of attempted murder – the dispute has continue to unfold across a large area in Ronanstown, Clondalkin and Lucan.
As well as petrol bombings, on cars and houses, the feud has also involved machete attacks, on-street beatings and non-fatal gun attacks.
In some incidents, young men on motorbikes have chased their rivals on foot, cornering them and subjecting them to severe beatings as bystanders looked on. Footage of the incidents has been captured and shared on social media, further ratcheting up tensions.
Though many of those involved in the violence are known for dealing drugs in west Dublin, the feud has now become personalised and gardaí are fearful it will grow even more entrenched following the murder of Mr McEvoy.
His killing, just before 6am on Monday, was effectively part of a series of tit-for-tat incidents in the early hours, typical of the nature of the feud over much of the last two years.
A car was destroyed in an arson attack on Glenfield Avenue, Clondalkin, followed by the ramming of another vehicle in the Greenfort estate. Another incident also resulted in a petrol bomb attack on a house in Shancastle before Mr McEvoy was attacked in the same estate.
Gardaí early on Monday arrested a man for questioning about Mr McEvoy's murder and he was still being questioned early on Tuesday.
One line of inquiry is that the fatal attack was revenge for one of the earlier incidents, during which a man with known links to the drugs was targeted.
The scene where Mr McEvoy was discovered unresponsive was sealed off and underwent an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau on Monday.
Though he was still alive when gardaí and paramedics arrived, Mr McEvoy was pronounced dead after being taken to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.
The Coroner and the Office of the State Pathologist were notified and arrangements put in place for a postmortem.
A senior investigating officer was appointed to lead the investigation and an incident room was established at Lucan Garda station. A Garda family liaison officer has also been assigned to support the family of Mr McEvoy.
The arrested man is being held at a Dublin Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, and can be questioned for up to 24 hours without charge.
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