ARMED police have been patrolling the streets of Dublin in the wake of a shooting at Friday’s weigh in at the Regency Hotel on Swords Road, which left one man dead and two injured.
“We are also conscious that there is speculation people may be talking about retaliation in this matter,” said assistant Garda Commissioner Jack Nolan. “There have been numerous patrols, armed patrols out in Dublin city last night [Friday] and they will continue in the coming days.”
In the terrifying attack on Friday, eye witnesses saw men dressed in police uniforms enter the weigh in before carrying out the shooting.
Saturday’s boxing event at the National Stadium, staged by MGM Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, which would have featured Jamie Kavanagh boxing for a WBO European lightweight title, was cancelled, as was a second boxing event in Dublin scheduled for Friday also promoted by MGM.
After the incident, Kavanagh tweeted, “Anyone asking I’m OK! Thank you for asking. I was lucky today is all I can say.”
Mel Christie, the president of the Boxing Union of Ireland, told Boxing News, “The Boxing Union of Ireland Board will meet by the end of the week to discuss and consider all aspects of Friday’s events. It is clear that specific protocols will have to be put in place so that the safety of the public and general boxing community is a reality in the future. The nature and extent of the protocols will be made known once the Board has had an opportunity to discuss [it].”
The BBC has reported that the Continuity IRA has claimed that they carried out the shooting, although other reports suggest the murder was part of an ongoing gangland feud.
