'Viciousness' of Dublin restaurant attack condemned

Image source, PA Media

Image caption, A forensic investigator and police at the scene of the attack in Blanchardstown, Dublin
At a glance
  • One man has died and another has been critically injured in a shooting and stabbing at a Dublin restaurant
  • It happened at a steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve
  • It is understood the man who died was the gunman
  • As the attack happened, customers screamed and ran, including parents who rushed young children from the restaurant

Ireland's justice minister has condemned the "viciousness" behind a gun attack at a Dublin restaurant on Christmas Eve.

One man - believed to be the gunman - was killed and another man critically injured.

The attack happened at Browne's Steakhouse on Main Street in Blanchardstown just after 20:00 local time.

Irish broadcaster RT脡 reports that a man in his 40s was shot and seriously injured. He was driven to hospital by a relative and remains in a critical condition.

A man in his 20s, believed to be the gunman, was tackled at the scene and injured.

He was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

It is understood he had stab wounds and a post-mortem examination was carried out on Tuesday.

Garda铆 (Irish police) say they are not releasing the results for operational reasons.

Both victims are known to police for their involvement in organised crime, according to RT脡.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said: "This viciousness has resulted in unimaginable human suffering this Christmas.

"That anyone could perpetrate such violence as families gathered together is especially disgusting."

Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar said he was "shocked" by the attack and that he had visited the restaurant many times.

As the attack happened, customers screamed and ran, including parents who rushed young children from the restaurant.

Garda铆 said videos of the incident and its immediate aftermath are being circulated on social media and messaging apps and have appealed to people not to further distribute them.

They also appealed to the public to be "aware of a significant level of speculation, misinformation and disinformation which is in circulation".