Gardaí search for men who opened fire at checkpoint

GUNMEN opened fire yesterday after they were stopped by gardaí in Dublin.

The criminals were travelling in a car near CityWest when they came across a routine Garda Traffic Corps patrol.

The gardaí observed the car making suspicious movements and directed the driver to pull over.

The car — carrying four men — did not stop and was driven off at high speed as a shot was discharged from the car.

It is not clear if the shot was directed at the patrol car, which was not hit, or was fired into the air as a warning.

But the gardaí thought they were being fired on.

“At 2.30pm a routine Garda Traffic Corps patrol observed a car acting in a suspicious manner,” a Garda spokesman said yesterday.

“There were four male occupants in the car. This car failed to stop for the Garda patrol and sped off. It was followed for a short distance.

“At least one shot was fired from the suspect car. The suspects made good their escape.”

The Garda patrol pursued the car for a while, but the car went out of sight within minutes.

The gardaí called for assistance. Garda cars were dispatched from the nearby stations of Tallaght, Bally-fermot and Clondalkin.

They were assisted by elite armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit , who were dispatched from their city centre base. A request for the Garda Air Support Unit was also lodged.

Gardaí said the pursuit did not last long, as the car was hastily abandoned on Russell Avenue in Tallaght, a short distance away.

“In follow-up searches the suspects’ car was found abandoned,” said a Garda spokesman.

“The car contained a firearm and a quantity of suspected stolen property. This vehicle is now being technically examined.”

Gardaí are hopeful the firearm and property may hold forensic and other evidence on the criminals.