UPDATE-Face of grandmother shot dead in front of daughter by neighbour

A grandmother was blasted to death in front of her children by a crazed neighbour on Saturday.

Mary Dargan, in her 60s, was killed by the shotgun-wielding man at 4pm in Killinarden Place, Tallaght, South Dublin.

Her daughter Karina, 30, was also shot in the face but survived the terrifying attack.

The gunman, believed to he a neighbour, then turned the gun on himself.

Gardai arrested a man, 58, at the scene who was being treated at St James’ Hospital last night and is expected to survive.

It is understood the attacker, who has been friends of the Dargan family for over 20 years, jumped into the back garden and came into the house through the door.

He then pulled the trigger hitting the defenceless grandmother in the head.

It is understood that as Karina lunged for the weapon, he then fired at her.

Miraculously, she survived after the shot grazed her forehead. Another of Mary’s devastated daughters then ran outside screaming for help.

Locals described hearing gun shots ring out around the area followed by terrifying screams.

Mary’s grandchildren and daughters were inside the house when the gunman came over a back wall and got into the semi-detached home where he let off five rounds of ammunition.

Sickened neighbours were at a loss to explain the reason for the attack which has shaken the community.

They said the families were hard-working people who were not involved in any criminal activity.

One said: “He seems to have just completely snapped and went off on them. I heard he jumped over the back wall into their back garden, bursting into the place screaming and shouting.

“I can’t even imagine what poor Mary was thinking when all of this was going on.

“The families have known each other for years. Their kids all grew up and played together. They all got on with each other.

“It’s not as if they were always at each other’s throats or anything of that sort.

“The children were in there I believe. I can’t imagine what’s going through their minds.”

One of Mary’s daughters heard the shots ring around the house and managed to get her six-year-old son out of the top window to safety.

Residents described the moments after the shooting as a war zone.

An elderly man, who has lived in the estate most of his life, said: “There was just screaming. The shots went off, I only live across the way and I heard everything.

“Everyone on the street came out to see what the situation was. I thought it was just bangers at the start of it all.

“But then I just knew something was seriously wrong. I’m so confused about this guy’s behaviour.

“You’d see him out washing the car all the time and he’d stop you and have a laugh with you.”

Gardai were last night forensically examining the scene and carrying out door-to-door inquiries. The suspect was last night being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

A security source said: “At this moment in time, it looks like there is no exact reason for this killing. The scene was as you’d expect. There was a huge amount of blood.

“Gardai are now looking into whether or not a dispute had set this man off. But on the face of it, it just doesn’t
add up.”

The State pathologist arrived at the scene last night to examine the scene.

Local councillor Cathal King said he was deeply disturbed by the atrocity.

He told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “Like everyone around here I’m speechless.

“My heart really goes out the family. It’s an absolute terrible thing to have happened here.

“My heart goes out to them. The community is shocked.”

And Mr King said the area has been plunged into grief recently after the murder of Sonia Blount in a hotel room last month.

He added: “This has been a testing time for all of us. But for now, I just want to express my sincerest condolences to the Dargan family.”

SOURCE-IRISH MIRROR