Updated 8.10pm
A MAN HAS been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Gareth Hutch this morning.
It is understood the 29-year-old handed himself into gardaí. He is being detained at Mountjoy garda station.
Hutch was getting into his car in the car park of the Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street at around 10am when two men approached him.
A number of shots were fired and they attempted to leave the scene in a black 5 series BMW, with the registration 02 D 39051, but soon after got out and made their escape on foot.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information about this car’s movements today, or in the days leading up to the shooting, to contact them. They also want to hear from anyone who saw the two men, one dressed in a red hoody and the other in a grey top, leaving the scene in the direction of Sean McDermott Street.
‘Very violent’
Speaking to reporters at Store Street garda station this afternoon, Assistant Commissioner Jack Nolan described the shooting as “another outrageous event”.
Nolan said it was “very, very violent and indeed extremely worrying” for gardaí and for the community.
Each of these murders is being “actively investigated” according to Nolan, as he revealed 13 people have been arrested in total and 17 firearms were “taken out of the hands of criminals”.
Just yesterday, a man in his 40s was arrested in connection with the investigation into the murder of Eddie Hutch. He is detained inMountjoy Garda Station. Two men arrested earlier this month in connection with the fatal shooting were released without charge, with files due to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution.
There have also been four arrests in relation to the Regency Hotel shooting.
Some €1 million worth of property has been seized in raids across the city and, since the Regency hotel shooting, gardaí have carried out more than 3,000 checkpoints.
Still, the murders continue and, indeed, there was an armed checkpoint just 200 metres from Avondale House when Gareth Hutch was shot this morning.
Under threat
Since the shootings began, Nolan said a number of people have been under threat and gardaí have provided “crime prevention advice” and “garda warning information messages” to ensure they take precautions.
“An Garda Síochána cannot be everywhere, but An Garda Síochána is extremely anxious to bring as many people to justice and before the courts in this regard,” he added.
I have no guarantee that something else won’t happen, but what I can guarantee you is that we are making every effort to both prevent and to detect and to solve these individual crimes.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has expressed his intention to visit the community.
“This is a dispute between two families and it is a vicious and murderous dispute,” he told TDs in the Dáil earlier. “I don’t think that I can stop that”.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information about the murder to contact them at Mountjoy garda station on 01 666 8600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any garda station.
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