Gardaí probe theory Dublin gangland victim Josh Itseli was accidentally shot dead by criminal pal

Josh Itseli, Drimnagh shooting victim

Gardaí are probing the theory that Josh Itseli was accidentally shot dead by one of his criminal pals.

Sources have told The Irish Mirror that detectives investigating Monday morning’s shock killing in Drimnagh have found no evidence that the gang that ambushed him and his associates were armed.

Instead, they now suspect that one of the three criminals with Joshua panicked when they were ambushed by two men they were on their way to attack – and shot the 20-year-old by mistake.

“That is very much a working theory,” a source said on Tuesday night.

The Irish Mirror has established that Gardaí believe the men the four were intent on attacking with a pipe bomb are brothers from the Crumlin area. They are regarded as minor criminals who have a reputation for attacking foreigners in the city – as well as stealing bikes.

But it’s believed they fell foul of the crime gang that included Josh Itseli – who was on bail facing two charges of drug dealing. That gang decided to launch a pipe bomb attack late on Sunday night – but their targets somehow got wind they were on their way to them.

One theory being examined was that the Itseli gang sent a video threat to their targets. The brothers then decided to ambush the gang – and rammed a car two of them were travelling in in the Drimnagh area just after midnight on Monday.

Joshua Itseli was shot dead in that incident and it had been thought that the brothers had killed him. But late on Tuesday night, sources confirmed there was no evidence they were armed and detectives believe Joshua was accidentally shot by one of his own side.

Josh’s three alleged associates – who were wearing body armour – fled the area after the killing, but were arrested by armed Gardaí. They were still being questioned on Tuesday night.

The two brothers who ambushed them fled the area in a van. The Irish Mirror has confirmed the suspect van was later found in the Tallaght area of Dublin – and was being forensically examined on Tuesday night.

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