Gardaí are trying to establish a motive for the murder of a 44-year-old man near his home in Dublin last night. 

Patrick "Pappy" Lyons was shot five times as he was walking along Belclare Terrace in Ballymun in what appears to have been a targeted gun attack.  

Lyons, who was the father of a 10-year-old boy, died at the scene 

Gardaí are still trying to determine how many gunmen were involved and how they arrived and escaped after the murder. 

Patrick Lyons was known to the gardaí, but for minor crimes. He was a drug addict and had convictions for theft, public order and possession of drugs.

He was not known to be involved in gang activity and gardaí do not believe his murder is gang or feud related. 

He lived with his mother and his young son whose mother, Patrick's partner, also died just last week.

Detectives believe its likely the killing is linked to a local dispute.

Senior officers point out that that in most cases drug addicts who cross dangerous criminals, break into the wrong house, steal something or owe a drug debt usually get attacked and beaten up.

The murder, gardaí say, represents the most extreme, brutal and disproportionate response to the type of drug addicted crime that he was involved in and the type of person he was.  

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The chairperson of the local drugs task force in Ballymun, Andrew Montague, has said the community needs additional help to tackle drug crime and child neglect.

Mr Montague told RTÉ's News at One that the murder of Mr Lyons was "awful" as he was "a victim all his life".

He said that since the heroin crisis of the 1980s many former addicts have many problems that are exploited by crime gangs. 

He said that they were targeted by crime gangs who are trying to get them addicted to crack cocaine and this abuse leads to many children being neglected as their parents cannot care for them. 

He said that more gardaí and social workers are needed.

Mr Montague said local gardaí say they cannot cope with the level of open drug dealing in the area and one park has open drug dealing "all day".

"We really need some help in this community..it wouldn't be acceptable in other communities and I don't know why the people of Ballymum have to put up with it," he said. 

Gardaí at Ballymun have set up an incident room and are asking witnesses to contact them.

They say they are aware of video footage and images circulating online in the aftermath of the shooting and have appealed to people not to share any footage relating to the incident on social media.

Gardaí are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the Belclare Terrace and Belclare Park areas between 8pm and 9.15pm.

They are also appealing for dash-cam and mobile phone footage of the incident.

Anyone with information should contact Ballymun Garda Station on 01-6664400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111 or any garda station.