Gardai open fire in Limerick

King Ludvig

Just up on breakingnews.ie, must have been pretty serious for them (perhaps RSU) to open fire....

Gardaí have opened fire on a stolen car in Limerick after it was taken from a shopping centre with a child inside it.

The vehicle was stolen from a car park in Cratloe at around 9.15am this morning.

Two children managed to get out, but a three-year-old boy remained inside until he was released on the side of the road a short time later near Moyross.

Armed Gardaí were involved in a confrontation with the driver and opened fire.



Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/limerick-gardai-fire-shots-as-child-escapes-from-stolen-car-490095.html#ixzz1Ba8057Qc

A bit more info on RTE:

An investigation is under way in Limerick after a number of shots were fired by a member of the Regional Armed Support Unit this morning.

The armed officer was involved in a pursuit of a stolen car that failed to stop and attempted to ram gardaí. The driver, aged in his early 30s, has been arrested.

The incident began when a car was stolen from outside a shop at Clonile on the Old Cratloe Road.

A car had been left outside the shop with the engine running and three young children inside.

Two of the children were taken out of the car and the a man drove off, with a three-year-old boy still in the back seat.

The boy was subsequently abandoned further down the Old Cratloe road.

A number of Garda units responded to the incident, including the Regional Armed Support Unit.

The car was pursued to an area near Knockalisheen where the driver crashed the car.

He failed to respond to warning from gardaí to stop the car and attempted to drive at gardaí.

Two shots were fired by the armed garda, who it is believed feared for the lives and safety of garda at the scene.

The driver is being detained at Henry Street Garda station. Nobody was injured in the incident.

The Garda Ombudsman Commission has been informed of the incident and a Detective Inspector from Tralee has been appointed to investigate the matter.

Looks like this is the first time RSU have discharged their firearms? Looks like nobody was hurt anyway thankfully

maglite

Going to be interesting on a number of levels,

Hally_89

King Ludvig wrote: »

Looks like this is the first time RSU have discharged their firearms? Looks like nobody was hurt anyway thankfully

Tisnt the first time. They shot a man weilding a shotgun in a pub in Cork a few months back

Poccington

I hope the higher ups of AGS back the man on the ground for making the call.

Hats off to the man who made the judgement, not an easy call to make but I can only imagine it was justified.

The RSU's once again showing their value. Good drills lads.

um7y1h83ge06nx

This probably cannot be commented on for operational reasons.

But isn't it a little scary that the person wasn't "brought down" so to speak by the shooting and that references were made in the report to body armour. Was the weapon and round severely hampered by the body armour?

Not taking away from the excellent Garda work but it would be scary to think what might have happened if this person had a gun.

Then again, it's hard to know what exactly happened. Be interesting to know what weapon was used and what rounds were used.

But aside from that thought, top notch work Gardaí!

kirving

Sends out a great message that behaviour like that won't be accepted, and will be met with appropriate force. Well done!

Apparently the guy had a bullet proof vest on him, only one reason you need that.

999nobody

With the organised crime budget being cut by 50%, they will soon only be able to fire one shot.

Zambia

I think its fair to say the Gardai like all police forces are equipped with rounds that are not designed to go through vests.

If they were and the offender did not wear a vest, well then the round would go though them, then the car behind them, the nursery behind that etc.

Bit of an exargeration there but thats the idea. Never fear about people thinking

"Oh look I read on the internet from some bloke in Oz a vest saves you from the RSU."

Because they will just pop that dumb ass somewhere else.

Ah vests forcing cops to shoot you in the head since 1992.

Good work to resolve the situation without loss of life.

Plazaman

Not in anyway condoning scummer who took the car but it still amazes me that people leave children in cars even when "popping in" to shops. For the sake of 5 minutes to get three kids out, a three year old wouldn't be traumatised this morning have been in a stolen car that was shot at.

Well done to the ARU, I agree with Pocc., hope the Officers are not only supported but get medals.

KERSPLAT!

Plazaman wrote: »

Not in anyway condoning scummer who took the car but it still amazes me that people leave children in cars even when "popping in" to shops. For the sake of 5 minutes to get three kids out, a three year old wouldn't be traumatised this morning have been in a stolen car that was shot at.

Well done to the ARU, I agree with Pocc., hope the Officers are not only supported but get medals.

Not only leave them in the car but leave the engine running

Like sticking a sign on the car saying "Look keys and all!! Rob me!!!"

source

Plazaman wrote: »

Not in anyway condoning scummer who took the car but it still amazes me that people leave children in cars even when "popping in" to shops. For the sake of 5 minutes to get three kids out, a three year old wouldn't be traumatised this morning have been in a stolen car that was shot at.

Well done to the ARU, I agree with Pocc., hope the Officers are not only supported but get medals.

The 3 year old was well out of the car before it was shot at, still a very bad experience but not as bad as it could have been.

eroo

He's lucky they didn't shoot with the MP7. Vest wouldn't have been much of a help there!

bullets

As I mentioned on another section of boards,
I reckon fair play to the Garda for having the balls to actually fire two shots.
(and being controlled enough to only need to fire 2 and not get anyone killed)
Its shows the guns are not there for show! and they still show restraint when
they do have to use them.

~B

MagicSean

Omari Thundering Smile wrote: »

This probably cannot be commented on for operational reasons.

But isn't it a little scary that the person wasn't "brought down" so to speak by the shooting and that references were made in the report to body armour. Was the weapon and round severely hampered by the body armour?

Not taking away from the excellent Garda work but it would be scary to think what might have happened if this person had a gun.

Then again, it's hard to know what exactly happened. Be interesting to know what weapon was used and what rounds were used.

But aside from that thought, top notch work Gardaí!

I thought they he shot at the car?

um7y1h83ge06nx

Re-iterating what Bullets said, fair play the Gardaí.

As a guy living in Limerick for 10 years I think the RSU have been a fantastic idea. Everything about them gives them an air of authority and a "don't **** with us" attitude which is well needed for hardened criminals. Even their Volvos look the business.

Keep it up.

swiftblade

Well done. Shows how useful the RSU are. That situation could have lasted a lot longer if they weren't there.

The fact that only 2 shots were used to get it done shows how effective the training they go through is.

I presume the shot was fired from a pistol? The 4.6mm round from a MP7 would be likely to penetrate the body armour

Again Well Done. Now if only we could presuade the government to not cut spending.....

bullets

I'm probably sounding like a Walter Mitty about now but....
I'd be interested to hear where the shots were aimed.
There was no reports in the media (that I've read so far) to
indicate the shooting was aimed at the Person at all. It could have been warning shots that frightened the **** out of the thief and caused him to stop the car and give up, or shots to the tires, engine block, windshield etc.

~B

goldie fish

Reports in media indicate culprit was reversing at speed towards gardai, photos show a bullethole in front windscreen under wipers.

stop

Just wondering, (while understanding case is ongoing) would someone who drives at a member of AGS get charged with attempted murder? That pops up in the media frequently in NI when someone drives through a PSNI roadblock (and at an officer in the process), but never seem to hear of that charge for that kinda situation in ROI..

Manic Moran

In the US, it would be assault with a deadly weapon at least.

NTM

xE

While I'm appalled at violence, I agree that action was needed and someone had to stand up to person with apparently no respect for human life.