Garda fired at car driven at speed towards colleague

AN armed garda was forced to open fire after a car driven by a suspected burglar reversed at speed towards another garda, it has emerged.

There were no injuries as a result of the incident which occurred at around midnight on Tuesday in Omeath, Co Louth.

Prior to the shooting, the suspect’s car rammed the unmarked garda car in a bid to avoid capture.

The driver and passenger of a car were arrested by gardaí and are being questioned in Dundalk station.

Plain clothes detectives were conducting a planned patrol, under Operation Anvil, tasked with the prevention and detection of burglaries. The patrols had been set up following a spate of burglaries in the area.

It is understood the detectives knew the identity of a suspect for the burglaries and spotted him driving a car in Omeath.

Gardaí said the car “rammed” the patrol car and then drove into a nearby driveway to avoid capture.

The detectives spotted the car and pulled in a distance behind. One garda got out and approached the suspect’s car, identifying himself. His colleague also exited and stood beside the Garda car.

Garda sources said the driver of the car moved inside the vehicle. There were reportedly some concerns the driver could have been armed. No weapon was subsequently discovered.

A number of sources said the suspect’s car then reversed at speed towards the garda approaching on foot.

His colleague pulled out his firearm and fired one shot at the car.

One of the men was arrested at the scene and the other a short distance away.

The driver, 26, from Dundalk, has a string of convictions for a range of crimes, including burglary. The passenger is aged 25 and from the Omeath area.

One Garda source said gardaí are very mindful of what happened Garda Robbie McCallion in Donegal in March 2009. The 29-year-old was killed after being hit by a stolen car.

The Garda Ombudsman Commission was notified, a standard procedure when Garda firearms are used.