Children at risk in killing
Youngsters with ice-creams were moments away from being caught up in caravan park shooting in Co. Louth
CHILDREN eating icecreams at a Co. Louth caravan park were just minutes away from being caught up in Tuesday’s murder of a young man, it emerged yesterday.
Several people ran to a nearby shop for cover as the bullets ricocheted around the caravan park during the brutal attack.
Gardaí revealed yesterday that the killer had stepped out of a red Lexus car before shooting 29-yearold Keith Branigan – and that a number of stray shots caused damage to two cars in a nearby car park, where the children had been eating ice-cream just minutes earlier.
Officers yesterday described the shooting of Mr Branigan, who was working in the Ashling Holiday Park in Clogherhead as an ‘indiscriminate and callous act’.
Mr Branigan, who was married and from Drogheda, died at the scene.
Speaking outside Clogherhead Garda Station yesterday, Superintendent Andrew Watters said: ‘This was a particularly indiscriminate and callous act carried out in a very busy caravan park.
‘There were a lot of families, women with young children in particular, close to the area of the shooting.
‘Some of these children were enjoying the last days of the summer.
‘It was very traumatic for the residents.’
Supt. Watters confirmed it was not a drive-by shooting.
Appealing for information, he added: ‘The gunman then returned to the red Lexus car – registration number 05 C 24473 – that car turned left when it left the caravan park and travelled in the direction of Termonfeckin.
‘My appeal today is three-fold in relation to this investigation.
‘First of all, I wish to appeal to anybody in Clogherhead and the surrounding areas who may have noticed any unusual behaviour in the 48 hours leading up to this shooting, and indeed in the immediate run up to 2.50pm on Tuesday, or anyone who saw any unusual cars or any unusual people within the area of Clogherhead or the surrounding areas.’
He added that they are yet to establish the exact direction the car travelled.
‘We believe the suspects were transferred to a second car, a black Toyota Avensis – registration plate 04 WH 8024 – that car was later located in the Clonmore Estate in Ardee.
‘The investigation is at a very early stage and a number of lines of investigation are ongoing.’
The killing is being treated by gardaí as feud-related, but Supt. Watters would not confirm whether the victim was a member of a known criminal gang.
He said there is an operation in place to deal with the escalating gang feud in Drogheda.
In a bid to allay the fears of people living in the town, he said gardaí have recently made a number of ‘very significant’ detections, arrests and prosecutions.
He went on: ‘We have people before the courts [facing] some very serious charges and on some very strict bail conditions.
‘Indeed yesterday, at the same time that this callous and indiscriminate murder took place, we had four people detained in Drogheda Garda Station for a serious arson attack which we classify as an attempted murder.
‘I have received additional resources in the last two months, I also have the support of our regional support units who have a very visible presence.’
Sinn Féin councillor, Tom Cunningham said: ‘The residents are shocked and appalled that something like this should happen in a picturesque fishing village, a quiet town. It is a busy area, bullets ricocheting about the front of the shop could have hit an innocent [bystander].’
Anyone who has information can contact 041 987 4200.
Residents of quiet town are appalled