WORLD NEWS: IRELAND - HUNT FOR DUBLIN BOXING MATCH GUNMEN UNDERWAY

A manhunt is under way for six people involved in a shooting at a boxing match weigh-in in Dublin.

Apparently armed with AK-47 rifles, three of the gang dressed in outfits similar to a police SWAT team burst into the Regency Hotel in Dublin, where up to 300 fans including children were forced to run and dive for cover.


One victim, David Byrne, was killed - and two others injured in the targeted attack, which is being linked to a gangland feud between Dublin gangsters and an Irish criminal outfit based in the south of Spain.

As a result, an overseas branch of the investigation has been launched with Europol helping officers with their enquiries.

The body of the victim is removed from the scene

Police have revealed one assailant was disguised as a "woman and wearing an auburn wig" and the others as "crime drama" police officers.

Assistant Commissioner Jack Nolan told a news conference: "We believe that the violent perpetrators of this are out there in the community and can be located.

"We believe there were a minimum of six people involved in this event - three uniformed and helmeted people carrying automatic weapons.

"One person, a male disguised as a female, was also present and a middle aged male wearing a peak cap.

"We are also conscious people may be talking of retaliation in this matter.

"Garda Siochana has been very active. There have numerous armed patrols in Dublin and they will continue in the coming days."

Police believe the sixth man involved was in the driver's seat of a silver Ford Transit van, seen in the vicinity of the hotel before the shooting.

The voices of frightened children can be heard amid the sounds of gunshots as the cameraman and others - including one of the boxers who had just come off the scales in his underpants - flee the weigh-in.

Kevin McAnena, a reporter at the event, described the moment one of the attackers pointed a gun at him.

He said: "I was shouting even before he came over 'don't shoot, don't shoot' ... I've never felt terror like it."

He continued: "The man who is now dead - he was no more than six foot from me.

"The gunshots I heard after I jumped over the receptionist's desk were probably the gunshots that finished him off.

"That same gunman looked over at me before pointing the gun at me, telling me, I think he said 'get up' or 'go away' or something like that."

He said he heard two shots outside the hotel and at least three more inside.

"They were big, massive guns - Gardai have told me since they were AK-47 rifles," he said.

"It was just so surreal, it happened so quickly."

A burnt-out van, believed to be the getaway vehicle, was later found not far from the hotel.

Saturday's Clash of the Clans boxing event at Dublin's National Arena has now been cancelled.

The main fight was due to be a European lightweight title bout between Jamie Kavanagh and Antonio Jao Bento.

Kavanagh later tweeted: "Anyone asking I'm OK! Thanks you for asking. I was lucky today is all I can say ....."

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