A local councillor has expressed shock following the murder of Keith Branigan at a caravan park in Co Louth yesterday.
Sinn Fein councillor Tom Cunningham who lives in the local area, says he's amazed no-one else was hurt in the incident.
Mr Branigan, in his 30s, was murdered in cold blood and became the first to die in the notorious Drogheda gang feud which has seen numerous shootings and fire bombings.
The killers are understood to have spotted the victim as he worked on decking outside a mobile in the caravan park on the Termonfeckin Road, Clogherhead, Co Louth around 2.45pm.
It's thought Mr Branigan was hit up to five times by a weapon fired at close range but many of the bullets fired missed and hit cars outside the nearby Mace store and post office.
The gunman is believed to have then escaped through the caravan park.
Tom Cunningham spoke of his shock after visiting the scene of the murder during an interview on RTE's Morning Ireland
Cllr Cunningham said: "How there was not someone else injured in that shooting, I can't believe it. We were lucky there was no-one else injured.
"The local community yesterday evening were in shock that this has happened in our village.
"Clogherhead is a picturesque fishing village, it's a good community, a great place to live.
"I would just like to condemn those responsible for the murder yesterday of this man in Clogherhead."
He added: "It was very frightening. People had to duck for cover, run into the shop to get away from this.
"There's people coming and going the full time, the gunman supposedly opened fire from straight across in front of the shop so how there was not someone else injured in this is beyond me.
"When I stood there last night and looked at the scene, I couldn't get over how the ricochet bullet did not go closer to another person. It's unbelievable."
It is understood that Mr Branigan, who was married within the last year, was an acquaintance of the leader of one of the gangs in the Drogheda feud but was not a major player.
Speaking about the ongoing feud in Drogheda, Mr Cunningham said: "There was not enough gardai on the streets in Drogheda. We've got a few new gardai who are just out from training, young gardai, the criminals that are involved in this need 24-hour surveillance.
"Resources need to be put into that. This cannot keep continuing. There needs to be more raids on their premises, on anyone associated with them.
"We need to get these guns off the street. They have no place in County Louth, they have no place in Drogheda, no place in Clogherhead.
"My own young girls walk to this shop to get the messages for us, to get their sweets. It is frightening to think what could have happened yesterday."
