 On 21 April 1921, Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Constable Denis O'Loughlin was shot dead in Knightly's public house in Tralee.Keating, Jimmy O'Connor and Percy Hanafin were suspected of the killing, and were forced to go on the run.On 1 June, Keating was involved in an ambush between Castlemaine and Milltown which claimed the lives of five RIC men.