Gardai are braced for associates of gangster James “Nellie” Walsh seeking revenge – after he survived a submachine gun ambush.
Sources have told us that investigators fear a reprisal attack is imminent following Tuesday’s murder bid in Walsh, 36, in south Dublin.
The convicted criminal was hit in the head when he was sitting in a car in Killinarden in Tallaght, but was not seriously injured – while a woman who was also in the vehicle was uninjured.
Read More: Dublin gangster 'lucky to be alive' after suffering submachine gun shooting attack
Sources say however that the attack, in which an Israeli-made Uzi submachine gun was used, was an attempt to murder Walsh – who only walked out of prison in July.
“They wanted him dead,” a source said. “He was a very lucky man.”
Walsh, who served more than seven years behind bars over a shooting in 2014, has been involved in a long-running feud with another criminal – and gardai suspect that was the motive for Tuesday’s attack.
Now they fear associates of Walsh, who is regarded as one of Dublin’s most volatile criminals, will target the man they blame for the shooting.
That criminal was himself given an official Garda warning, called a GIM, in recent months as tensions between him and Walsh’s pals escalated. Now officers believe that man struck first in the war between two sides – but gardai are now braced for Walsh’s supporters to go after him.
“They will be after him now,” a source said. “The suspicion is he tried to whack Nellie and failed, now Walsh’s people will be out for his blood.”
Walsh, who is a native of Clondalkin but had a last known address in Co Westmeath, was hospitalised after Tuesday’s attack – but his life in not in any danger.
He was sitting in a car in Donomore Crescent with the woman when the car was sprayed by the Uzi. It’s understood the attackers later escaped in a van.
There have been no arrests yet and gardai are investigating. A spokesman said yesterday: ‘A male, aged in his 30s, received gunshot wounds and was removed to Tallaght University Hospital to be treated for his injuries which are understood to be non-life threatening.
“No other person was injured during this incident. The scene is currently preserved for a technical examination.
“Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this incident to come forward. They are particularly keen for anyone with camera footage (including dash-cam) to make this available to them.
“Gardaí are also appealing for information in relation to the movements of the following vehicles which are believed to have been involved in the incident:
• A blue Volkswagen Golf, with partial registration number 06-KE-43**
• A white Ford Transit Connect, with partial registration number 10-D-180** that was located burnt out in Westbourne Green, Clondalkin a short time later.”
They have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to contact them on 01-6666000.
In 2018, Walsh was attacked in Mountjoy Prison while serving a sentence connected to the March 2014 shooting. He was originally charged with attempted murder, but that was dropped when he pleaded guilty to firearms offences.
While in prison he was slashed by separate gangs within a few weeks. Walsh previously survived a gangland hit in Dublin in August 2013. That saw innocent Dean Johnson, 21, gunned down after he swapped coats with Walsh in a pub – and the gunman targeted him by mistake.
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