Gardaí fired shots in attempt to bring vehicle to a halt

THE number of shots fired by gardaí at the moving bus remained unclear last night as the investigation team began piecing together the events which left one woman dead and more than a dozen others injured.

Gardaí confirmed last night that shots were fired at three locations during the chase. They were fired at Davitt Road, at the Red Cow roundabout and at Rathcoole near the bus depot where the chase eventually ended.

It is believed the shots were discharged by members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Garda special branch.

A spokesperson said armed gardaí are attached to most stations, as all members of the detective branch are licensed to carry arms, but that uniformed gardaí also occasionally use firearms.

It is also unclear if clearance was given by senior officers for shots to be fired at the bus. However, it is understood that such orders are not required and that such a decision is usually one for the garda carrying the gun.

“All gardaí trained in firearms use are trained about when it is appropriate or otherwise to fire shots. They must also attend firing practice on a regular basis,” the spokesperson said.

It was also unclear if any of the shots hit the moving bus and whether they were aimed at the tyres or any other part of the vehicle.

The spokesperson also confirmed that the Garda stinger was deployed on at least one occasion, but again the exact location or locations is unknown. The stinger’s spikes are intended to burst tyres when it is stretched across the road.

However, its use has perviously been controversial as it can cause loss of control and collisions. It may also be difficult to predict the route of the vehicle being pursued to enable use of the stinger.