Gardaí don’t believe fatal shooting related to Kinahan-Hutch feud
Gardaí investigating the fatal shooting of a young man and the wounding of another in north county Dublin do not believe the incident is linked to the Kinahan-Hutch feud.
Zach Parker, 23, was shot at Applewood Close in Swords on Thursday night as he sat in a BMW car with his friend after leaving a nearby gym.
At around 7.30pm, a lone male fired at least five shots into the driver’s side window as the slow-moving car was driven from Applewood Close onto Jugback lane.
Mr Parker from Swords, a convicted drug dealer, who was the driver of the car, was fatally injured.
His passenger, a 25-year-old man also from the area, was seriously injured and taken by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
The gunman left the scene on foot onto Jugback Lane in the direction of Balheary Road. Gardaí are not sure whether he acted alone.
The passenger, who underwent surgery yesterday, remains in hospital where his condition is understood to be serious but stable.
Superintendent Gerard Donnelly of Swords Garda Station, who is leading the investigation, said there is nothing to suggest that the shooting is connected to any of the major gangland feuds in Dublin: “All indications are at this stage that it’s probably local, but we’re at the early stages of an investigation and keeping all avenues of investigation open.”
Supt Donnelly, who held a press conference yesterday to reassure the public, said they do not have a specific motive in relation to the shooting.
“This is a very quiet area; there is nothing to suggest this locality is linked to the crime. It’s just happened here because this person attended this gym. There is nothing to suggest that the injured man was targeted in any way. All indications seem to be that it was the driver that was targeted.”
Supt Donnelly, who was speaking from the crime scene yesterday, urged witnesses who might have been in the Applewood area between 6.30pm and 8pm on Thursday night to come forward. He also appealed to motorists with dash-cam footage to make it available.
The superintendent described the gunman as tall, of athletic build and wearing a black hoodie top with a black scarf covering his face, black tracksuit bottoms and black trainers with white soles.
“It’s understood he was carrying a grey or light-coloured rucksack that may have concealed the firearm,” he added.
Supt Donnelly urged anyone with information to telephone the Incident Room at Swords Garda Station on 01 6664700 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.
