Former Dublin zookeeper and IRA member the latest killed in Dublin's gang war

The man that was brutally gunned down in broad daylight on a busy Dublin City Centre street was a former staff member at Dublin Zoo it has emerged.

David Douglas, a 55-year-old from Cabra, was shot a number of times on Bridgefoot street in Dublin's south inner city yesterday evening, which represented the second attempt on his life in the space of a year. This time, the hit was fatal, as a lone gunman approached Douglas outside a shop in the area and shot him up to six times before fleeing in a silver Mercedes car. The vehicle was found burnt out in a nearby area shortly afterwards.

Douglas, a father to one, was targeted last November by the Kinahan gang as they sought retribution over a failed assassination on gang member Liam Roe, although Gardaí believe that Douglas was not involved, according to the Irish Independent. Douglas was shot numerous times near his home in Cabra, but he survived the shooting.

The 55-year-old was a former member of the IRA, and was sentenced to 12 years in jail for shooting a Garda during an armed robbery. He also spent five years in jail after being convicted for drugs trafficking in 2010, when he was arrested in connection with the seizure of €562,000 worth of drugs. He received a 10-year sentence, five of which were suspended.

It has also emerged that Douglas was a former zookeeper at Dublin Zoo.

Gardaí are looking for two men in connection with the murder, the shooter and the getaway driver. It is believed that they are investigatin the suspects from last November's hit on Douglas. A handgun was found close to the crime scene yesterday shortly after the shooting.