Killing of David Byrne

The Irish criminal David Byrne was shot dead on 5 February 2016 at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin, Ireland.

It is believed by the Garda Síochána (police) that Daniel Kinahan, the son of Christy Kinahan, was the intended target, but had left early.





== Background ==

Byrne had been investigated by every Garda specialist unit since he was a teenager.

He was present at the fatal stabbing of Declan Gavin in August 2001 in Crumlin, Dublin. He was called as a witness in the trial of Brian Rattigan for the killing, but said he had seen nothing.

David Byrne had been arrested many times and was a suspect in the murder of Gary Bryan in Walkinstown, Dublin, in 2006.

In January 2016, Gardaí had a special policing plan put in place for the following month when two boxing events would be attended by members of a criminal gang associated with Christy Kinahan. The Kinahan gang have a long association with boxing both in Dublin and Marbella in Spain.





== Shooting ==

On 5 February 2016, there was to be a boxing match for the World Boxing Organization European lightweight title between Jamie Kavanagh and Antonio João Bento at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin. At the weigh-in there was an organised armed attack; the match was cancelled after the shooting.