Gardai at the scene of the shooting

Gardai investigating the shooting of a street drug dealer nicknamed ‘Strawballs’, who was shot in the buttocks, arrested two suspects in the case yesterday.

The male and female were still being held in custody at Store Street Garda Station last night after their arrest in dawn raids.

The brazen north inner city shooting happened late on March 5, when the target ran into a takeaway and hid in the kitchen area after being shot in the buttocks when a gunman targeted him at Sheriff Street Lower at 10.35pm.

Shooter

The arrested suspects are a woman from the Ringsend area of the south inner city and a “tablet dealer” from the north inner city.

It is suspected that the shooting happened after a major dispute involving street dealers in the locality.

The arrested man is suspected of being the “shooter”, while the woman is believed to have provided him with “key help”.

Despite ‘Strawballs’ (25) having strong links to the Hutch mob, gardai do not believe the shooting is linked to its deadly feud with the Kinahan cartel.

‘Strawballs’ was in the company of a large number of other people outside a premises in Sheriff Street when two disguised men approached him and shot him in the buttocks outside the takeaway.

Despite being shot, ‘Strawballs’ and a number of other people ran into the takeaway, where he was followed by the gunman and his associate.

However, when they could not find their target, the duo fled on foot as he hid in a kitchen area of the premises.

Emergency services were notified and ‘Strawballs’ was brought by ambulance to the Mater Hospital, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

The intended target was previously arrested by gardai investigating street dealing in the north inner city as part of Operation Tempest in 2014.

He was previously given a suspended sentence after he was caught with a pistol and ammunition in a car when he was aged only 15.

Online Editors