Police probe whether Dublin shooting victim Mark Cullen was killed by his own gang

Gardai are investigating whether Mark Cullen was shot dead by his own gang, as locals speak of a spate of violence and drug dealing in the area.

Mark Cullen (39) died after he was shot in the leg at Patrician Park, Kill Avenue in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, on Sunday morning.

The media has learned that investigators have established Cullen clearly arranged to meet someone at 8:30am that morning before he was shot. They now believe his killer likely did not intend to shoot him in the leg.

A source said: “He was shot in the upper thigh. That does not indicate a traditional ‘kneecapping’ or punishment shooting.”

Gardai now believe Cullen may have been accidentally shot as he fought with his attacker, or that the gun was fired in the spur of the moment. The suspected gunman is now on the run, while another man is in garda custody in connection with the incident.

Gardai are probing whether Cullen, a dangerous but low-level criminal, was shot by a member of his own gang. This comes as a video showing Mr Cullen striking a woman in the face has gone viral on social media. This video is understood to be several years old and is not thought to be connected to the recent dispute.

However, his gang has been causing widespread fear amid a spate of incidents in the area in recent months. Innocent families have been targeted in late-night break-ins, while another man was attacked with an iron bar in recent months, locals say.

Two local councillors, one of whom lives just metres from where the shooting happened, told the media that the area has been anything but quiet.

Instead, they spoke of a culture of fear in the Honeypark and Patrician Park areas, caused by dangerous criminals who are openly dealing drugs and breaking into the homes of innocent families.

Fine Gael Councillor Lorraine Hall told how she tried to initiate an emergency motion before a sitting of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council last night, amid local concerns.

“I put in an emergency motion last night but there wasn’t enough time and it wasn’t supported for debate. But I feel it’s a bit of a missed opportunity because the residents in this particular area of Dun Laoghaire have been dealing with pretty consistent public order issues and safety concerns and a growing pattern of anti-social behaviour. It has been becoming more serious and there have been more serious incidents,” she said.

“In recent weeks one family was woken in the middle of the night by two men who had broken into their home. This is an innocent family. It would have been horrifying for them. I know outside the same apartment block a man was beaten with an iron bar and a lot of residents saw this.”

Cllr Hall said she is calling on the council to install better lighting and CCTV and to deal with rental issues at an apartment complex in the area which is linked to the spate of incidents.

“I live right beside this area and I’m with the neighbourhood watch working with them on this.

“I wanted to raise for the community their wish to have better lighting in their park and CCTV.

“Community safety is not just about policing. You can’t have a guard standing there all day all the time. It requires a combined effort between the guards and the council and approved bodies and the community.

“I had a duty to raise the safety concerns that the residents have raised with me over the past number of years. That is about suspected drug-related activity and anti-social behaviour. The suspected drug dealers operating in Honeypark decided to base themselves in my park last weekend less than 20 metres from my home. They were there six days a week all day and all night dealing drugs blatantly in front of us all.

“There’s a really persistent drug dealing going on the whole time,” she said.

Local councillor Dan Caron echoed his colleague’s statements and told of the blatant drug dealing and violent incidents in the area.

“There’s been a number of violent assaults. It’s certainly not a quiet area. You have someone who was hit over the head with a bat and someone’s door was kicked in only a few months ago.

“There seems to be no honour among thieves now. We effectively have an American-style street corner going on in that area at the moment and the guards are managing that as best they can.”

Speaking about the gun murder of Mr Cullen he added:

“I would say this is shocking but it’s not necessarily out of the blue. I understand there’s been some reporting in which Mr Cullen was associated with a number of robberies and he had appeared in a number of district courts. He was released from prison two weeks ago. I personally condemn all forms of gun violence and no one deserves to lose their life,” he said.

It has now been established that Cullen was released from prison two weeks ago - having been on remand for an incident in which he brandished a knife at a shop. After receiving an 18 month suspended sentence, he was released by court order in late June.

Prior to that he had served a month in custody in January - and has been in and out of prison for a number of years.

He was due before a sitting of Dun Laoghaire District Court over the matter which allegedly occurred at Shankill Garda Station on January 1st, 2023.

He was also accused of smashing in the front window of a woman’s car, of being intoxicated in a public place, and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour all on the same date at an address in Ballybrack in Dublin.

He had a chequered history with the law and had resided at a number of addresses in Dun Laoghaire, Shankill, and Loughlinstown over the last number of years.

In 2023 he received a three-month suspended sentence for producing a telescopic baton during an incident in the Shankill area.

He also received a further two months for engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour at a property in Monkstown.

In May 2023, he was before the courts for possession of cannabis.

He was also due before a sitting of Bray District Court on the 16th of this month for a charge of stealing groceries and electrical items worth €326.13, and for stealing electrical goods worth €357.90.

Separately he was due before Dun Laoghaire District Court in November for stealing cans of alcohol worth €22 from a Centra in Ballybrack.

Gardai have appealed for witnesses to come forward. A spokesman said: “At approximately 8:30am, a male… sustained fatal injuries during the course of a shooting incident at Patrician Park, Kill Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

“The body of the male remains at the scene and a post-mortem examination will occur in due course. The Coroner has been notified. The scene is currently preserved for examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.

"Road closures are currently in operation, including at Kill Avenue and Glenageary Road Upper. Local diversions are in place.”

The spokesman asked witnesses to contact Dun Laoghaire Garda Station. He said: “A Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has been appointed to lead the investigation and an Incident Room has been established at Dún Laoghaire Garda Station.

“Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward. Anyone with any information including road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling near Kill Avenue, Dún Laoghaire between 8:00am and 9:00am on Sunday 5th July 2026 are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí