Man shot dead in Spain in '˜out of control feud'

The man, named locally as Trevor O’Neill, 40, from Drimnagh, south Dublin, was gunned down outside a supermarket in Majorca.

It is reported his wife and three young children were with him at the time of the shooting in Costa de la Calma, near the popular tourist resort of Santa Ponsa, shortly after 9pm on Wednesday.

Council worker Mr O’Neill is believed to have stopped to talk on the street with the intended target of the botched attack when several shots were fired into his back.

Paramedics who arrived at the scene tried to resuscitate him but he died a short time later in hospital in the capital Palma, around 25 km away.

Local police, the Guardia Civil, are said to be hunting three suspects.

The latest killing is being linked to a murderous feud involving the Kinahan and Hutch families, which has claimed 10 lives in less than a year.

In April, innocent bystander Martin O’Rourke died after being gunned down in Dublin’s north inner city during an assassination attempt of another figure connected to the fall-out.

Irish police said in June the unprecedented spate of underworld-ordered killings was being directed from Spain, the Netherlands and the UK.

A special crime task force has been set up into the blood-letting but the Garda has admitted the international dimension is a challenge for their investigations.

Daithi de Roiste, chairman of Dublin’s joint policing committee and a councillor for Drimnagh, said the feud has spiralled out of control.

“There is shock and heartbreak right across this community at the moment that a young innocent man with a young family can just be taken away in such a callous, heinous way by absolute thugs,” he told RTE.

“Trevor was a good guy, he worked for Dublin City Council.

“We have a community now saying this can happen to absolutely anybody at any time whether it is in Dublin or whether you are on your holidays.

“I think it is really out of control now with this feud.”

Dublin’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it is providing consular assistance to an Irish national’s family following the shooting in Majorca.

Brendan Kenny, chief executive of Dublin City Council, said colleagues were stunned by the killing.

“The management and staff of Dublin City Council are shocked to hear of the tragic death of Trevor O’ Neill in Majorca last night,” he said.

“Trevor was a hard-working and dedicated employee of Dublin City Council.

“On behalf of the management team, city councillors and staff of Dublin City Council, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Trevor’s family and friends.”

Aengus O Snodaigh, Sinn Fein TD (MP) for Mr O’Neill’s area in south Dublin, pleaded for an end to the feud.

“All reports point to this murder being a case of mistaken identity,” he said.

“The man was completely innocent. He was on holiday with his wife and three children and his life was taken away from him by criminal thugs.

“I would appeal to these criminals to bring this feud to an end before more lives are lost.”

Mr O Snodaigh added: “A woman has lost her husband and three children have lost their father in a despicable act of violence.”