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A man arrested in connection with the murder of Josh Dunne (16) in North Dublin was expected to be charged and appear in city courts on Saturday.
The suspect in the case was arrested Thursday night, just hours after at least 800 people gathered at Coultry Park, Ballymun, north of Dublin, for a remembrance event for Dunne, who was living with his family in the area.
The detained man is a 35-year-old Brazilian citizen who has been living near the scene of the fatal stabbing in East Wall, Dublin 3, Tuesday night. The teenager was repeatedly stabbed during a serious street disturbance on East Road around 9.20 p.m.
He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken by ambulance to Mater Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Another teenager who knew Dunne was also stabbed during the incident and a 23-year-old Dublin man was injured. Although both were treated at the Mater, they have since been discharged and are expected to make a full recovery.
Gardaí believes two delivery cyclists were on the East Road Tuesday night when they saw another man apparently stealing a bicycle owned by a third delivery cyclist and intervened in an attempt to stop the theft. Other people, including Dunne and some of his friends, as well as other delivery cyclists, arrived at the scene when a bicycle riot was taking place. When Dunne and the other boy intervened, they were both stabbed.
Gardaí sealed the scene and while they searched for the murder weapon they could not find it. Detectives also spoke to several people at the scene and their investigations focused on trying to find and interview two men who became persons of interest in the case.
Custody
It emerged Thursday night that Gardaí had arrested the Brazilian suspect who was still in custody on Friday night. He was detained under article 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows him to be interrogated for up to 24 hours without charge.
However, that 24-hour period is suspended for breaks between Garda interviews and the man questioned in connection with the fatal stabbing had his detention period extended for a second 12-hour period around 4 p.m. Friday. His period in custody did not expire until Saturday morning.
Dunne was described as a talented footballer who had played for St Kevin’s Boys, as well as the Bohemians FC youth teams of the League of Ireland and Scotland’s main team Dundee Utd FC.
A statement issued by his mother, Dianne, and the rest of his family described him as “an amazing, happy and talented child who was tragically taken from our lives at only 16 years old.”
“Josh’s smile lit up every room he walked into, and he had a promising career ahead of him on the soccer field,” his family said.
They would “always remember our Josh as a happy, loving and wonderful child” and a “dreamer and doer.” The family thanked the Ballymun community for their support and asked the media “to let us cry in peace.”
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