The Finglas community is ‘shocked, saddened and numb with grief’ after a mother-of-five was shot dead in her family home on Saturday.

Gardaí are investigating whether 36-year-old old Sandra Boyd was shot dead accidentally at her home in Collins Place.

It is believed several people were in the home at the time of the shooting.

Ms Boyd was taken to the Mater Hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

A post-mortem has now been completed and investigators are appealing for witnesses who were in the Collins Place area of Finglas at around 9pm on Saturday to come forward.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Sinn Féin Councillor for Ballymun-Finglas Anthony Connaghan said the community is “shocked, saddened and numb with grief”.

“The details were kind of sketchy as they came out but now, we are learning it may have been accidental […] and unfortunately, she has lost her life,” he said.

“Straight away what I heard from people was, they were sobbing, numb and they just couldn’t believe it – no-one could.

“A mother there with five kids in the house. It is just shocking and no one can believe it at this stage.”

He said weapons are readily available in the area and people are scared they could find themselves caught up in the crossfire of feuding gangs.

“100% There is a fear because this can happen anywhere,” he said.

“It is not like it is happening in one corner. This is, if you took a map and put little pins in it, it is happening across the community.

“People are afraid because, there you go, there is an innocent woman after being killed [...] so people have that fear and apprehension that this can happen anyone.

“They may not be going out to hurt innocent people, but innocent people are being caught in the crossfire.”

He said serious incidents are becoming more common in the area.

“We had a hand grenade thrown at a house,” he said. “We had a young lad kidnapped off the street in broad daylight.”

“People would never have thought of that as ever happening in the area, but it is just kind of ongoing and it is the result of the drug gangs feuding.

“Unfortunately, people are starting to think they are going to get caught up in the crossfire and they are worried that these weapons are readily available.”