Man shot outside his house then blasted again as he ran away

The victim, named locally as Charlie Cooper, was targeted near his home in Parslickstown Drive, Mulhuddart, west Dublin.

It is believed a gunman approached Mr Cooper as he walked outside his home before firing.

He then chased the victim across a road into a nearby garden before discharging several more shots.

The incident occurred shortly after 8.20pm last night and the man was treated at the scene by Dublin Fire Brigade paramedics.

Serious

It is understood Mr Cooper responded to medical staff when being initially treated before being transferred to Connolly Memorial hospital. He was last night being treated for gunshot wounds and remains in a serious but stable condition.

Officers from Blanchardstown Garda Station are investigating the shooting.

No arrests have been made and gardai are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.

A large crowd gathered at the scene as garda forensic officers carried out a technical examination of the area. Detective gardai also conducted door-to-door inquiries last night at a number of homes on the street.

"The man that was hit was shot outside the house first and then ran across the road before getting shot another few times. There were six shots in total," an eye witness told the Herald.

"One of the gunmen then jumped into a car and they hung around for a bit before driving off."

The victim is not believed to be involved in criminality and gardai are attempting to determine a motive for the shooting.

"The injured man would be unknown to gardai in the area as such, so no obvious motive has yet been established by investigating officers," a source said.

Stabbed

One theory being looked at is that the incident was linked to a violent attack last year during which an associate of Mr Cooper was stabbed a number of times.

The assault, in October 2015 was carried out by two known criminals from the traveller community in the area.

The latest incident comes just days after the separate fatal shooting of notorious criminal Mark Desmond.

Gardai are investigating if a recent west Dublin drugs bust may be behind the brutal gangland execution.

The gang linked to jailed killer Brian Rattigan are being probed for involvement in organising the brutal murder with Desmond remaining a suspect for having Rattigan's close pal Antony Cannon murdered in 2009.