Gardaí appeal for taxi driver witnesses to fatal gangland shooting in Drimnagh

Gardaí have issued an appeal for two taxi drivers to come forward who may have been witnesses to a fatal shooting in Dublin last week.

Josh Itseli (20) was shot in the head with an AR-15, a military grade rifle, just after midnight on Monday morning, May 6th at Knocknarea Road in Drimnagh. The weapon was later recovered from near the scene.

Itseli (20), the Irish-born son of immigrants from Democratic Republic of Congo, was a small-time drug dealer aligned to a drug gang in south-central Dublin.

Gardaí believe he had gone to Drimnagh with a number of criminal associates to attack members of another gang with a pipe bomb.

Three men were arrested by gardaí two days after the shooting, but were released without charge.

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Gardaí are now looking for two taxis – one was a dark-coloured saloon taxi which drove on Knocknarea Road, towards the junction with Mourne Road in Drimnagh, between 12am and 12.10am.

The other was a red-coloured saloon taxi which drove on Sperrin Road between the junctions with Knocknarea Road and Mourne Road in Drimnagh, between 12.00am and 12.10am. The driver of this taxi was a male, and may have been dropping-off or collecting a fare at Sperrin Road at the time.

Gardaí are also continuing to appeal for information in relation to a black Talaria Sting electric motorbike which is understood to have been used in connection with this incident. The electric motorbike was observed in the vicinity of Dolphin Road, Crumlin Road and Davitt Road on Sunday night, May 5th and into the early hours of Monday morning May 6th.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have observed the black motorbike in the vicinity of Dolphin Road in recent days. The motorbike has been seized by investigating gardaí, who are also seeking the rightful owner of the vehicle.

Anyone with any information that can assist Gardaí with their investigation is asked to contact Sundrive Road Garda station on 01 666 6600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. Any information received will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.