Teenager fights for life after city shooting
Saturday January 12 2008
A TEENAGER was in a critical condition last night after he was shot twice in the latest shooting incident in Limerick.
Jonathan Fitzgerald (18) was shot in the neck and leg while standing outside a dry cleaners in Parnell Street just before 6pm yesterday evening.
Another man narrowly escaped uninjured when the gunman opened fire.
The shooting was carried out in front of horrified pedestrians and shoppers while shocked motorists negotiating rush-hour traffic looked on from their vehicles.
The victim ran from his assailant in the direction of Wickham Street but collapsed from his injuries and was brought to St John's Hospital.
But because of their concern over his injuries, medical staff had him transferred to the Mid-West Regional before 8pm.
He was in a "critical condition" last night.
Notorious
Investigating gardai believe a man connected to the notorious Dundon-McCarthy gang is responsible for the latest shooting incident.
The gunman is understood to have been armed with a handgun and disguised his face with a balaclava.
He fled from the scene of the shooting in a red coloured car, possibly a Toyota, in the direction of Hyde Road.
Another young man who was standing beside Mr Fitzgerald narrowly escaped injury. A bullet hole was found in his jacket.
Gardai believe the victim and the gunman spoke just before the shooting incident.
Jonathan Fitzgerald is from the Garryowen area of the city.
Extra armed patrols were last night deployed to the Garryowen, Southill and Ballinacurra-Weston areas of the city.
Limerick's gangland feud, has to date, directly claimed the lives of nine men since it erupted in 2000.
Officers in Limerick were last night continuing their searches for the gunman involved in yesterday's attack.
This is the second shooting incident in Limerick this week.
On Monday night, the home of murdered crime boss Kieran Keane was shot at.
His widow, Sophie and teenage son, Kieran escaped unharmed.
- Barry Duggan
