Suspect in Real IRA boss killing may have been shot by own gang
A CRIMINAL who was a suspect in the murder of dissident republican Alan Ryan has died in hospital after a shooting over the weekend.
Ken Finn (36) was shot in the head outside a house in Moatview Gardens, Coolock, Dublin on Sunday.
The suspected hitman was on life support for almost two days with a bullet lodged in his brain, but was pronounced dead yesterday afternoon.
He was the chief suspect in a number of gangland killings in Dublin, including the gun murder of Real IRA leader Alan Ryan (34) in 2012.
Gardaí investigating Finn’s murder are now probing if a drugs trafficker known as ‘Mr Big’ ordered the murder.
Detectives have established that Finn owed a large amount of money to the gang led by Mr Big and was under threat from the gang as a result.
“There are a long list of crime groups who would have lined up to take out Finn – but his own gang is now the chief suspect in the murder,” a source said.
“Finn was close to Mr Big, but also worked as a gun for hire for other crime gangs. This could be seen as Mr Big cleaning house.”
The Irish Independent has also learned that Finn was considered a prolific gun-for-hire and was the chief suspect in at least two murders as well as a number of shootings.
He was a chief suspect in the murder of Ryan, who was killed by Mr Big’s gang as a result of an extortion campaign against the drugs mob.
Finn was also known to have associated with Christopher ‘Git’ Zambra (39), a Drimnagh gangster who was also suspected of involvement in the Ryan murder plot.
Zambra was shot dead in 2014 outside a house on Cooley Road.
Another murder which gardaí believe Finn was the gunman in was the shooting of Noel Deans in 2010.
Deans (27) was shot dead after leaving the Priorswood Inn pub.
Finn was arrested by investigating gardaí at Clontarf Garda station and questioned for a number of days before being released without charge.
The country’s latest gangland murder victim had been living in the Clarehall area, but had previously resided in Marino.
He had more than 60 previous convictions, although they were mainly traffic offences as well as burglary and public order crimes.
On Sunday, Finn was sitting in a jeep outside a property on Moatview Gardens when he was approached by a gunman.
He attempted to flee and managed to enter the front garden of a nearby home before being gunned down.
Finn was shot once in the head at point-blank range and a bullet was lodged in his head, causing fatal injuries.
Gardaí believe that a drug dealer and serial offender from the area set up Finn by supplying information of his movements to the hitman.
A post-mortem examination by State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy will take place today. Detectives at Coolock Garda station have now launched a murder probe.
Supt Gerard Donnelly, of Coolock Garda station, appealed for any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.
“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area between 7pm and 8.30pm to come forward if they saw anything suspicious.”