Andrew Carey
THREE men remain in Garda custody at various locations around Limerick city this Thursday morning in connection with the attempted murder of convicted gangland drug dealer Christy Keane last year.
During the early hours of June 29 last, Keane (55) was targeted by gunmen who approached and opened fire at his car in the grounds of the University of Limerick.
Keane, who suffered gunshot wounds as a result of the planned attack, was left in a critical condition after the shooting in the car park at around 6:40am.
Gardai saw that as a result of their investigations and witness reports, the convicted drug dealer was approached by a number of masked men who were armed with handguns.
Keane’s masked attackers opened fire at close range and hit the 55-year-old a number of times before the fled the scene in a car that was later found on fire in a nearby residential area.
This Wednesday as part of the ongoing investigation, three men were arrested for questioning.
Two of the males, aged in their 30s, were arrested at their homes in an early morning operation as part the latest phase of their investigation.
They arrested two men at their homes on the northside of the city in an early morning raid and are being held at Henry Street and Mayorstone Garda Stations under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Both men can be held for up to seven days without charge.
A third arrest was made a short time later and a man from the southside and he has been detained at Roxboro Garda Station under the provisions of Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act.
Aged in his 50s, the man can be held without charge for 72 hours.
A total of nine people have been arrested in connection with the shooting to date.
