'It was pure stupidity': Train passenger with 'antique' gun on seat sparked major alert

Station was evacuated and services suspended for a time

Armed gardaí entered Connolly Station in Dublin city centre during the incident. Picture: Collins

Gardaí believe “stupidity” rather than anything “sinister” lay behind a dramatic firearms incident on a commuter train at tea-time on Wednesday.

Worried passengers alerted gardaí after they saw what sources said was a “poorly wrapped” firearm on a seat beside a man as a train was heading for Dublin’s Connolly Station.

Senior officers ordered a large-scale operation and scrambled several Armed Response Units while the station was evacuated and services suspended.

But when armed gardaí confronted the man, they found what appeared to be an “antique” firearm that they suspect was decommissioned and not usable.

It is understood the man told gardaí he was on his way to Dublin to sell the weapon to a buyer.

Gardaí believe the weapon has been decommissioned but are awaiting the results of ballistic experts at the Garda Technical Bureau to confirm.

Naked eye

“He didn’t do a great job covering it up on the train," one source said. “He had something wrapped around it, but it wasn’t inside a bag or anything. To the naked eye, it would look like a gun. He carried in on the train and it was placed on the seat beside him.

“Needless to say it caused a stir when someone saw it.” 

The source added: "There was nothing sinister in it; it was pure stupidity."

A Garda statement on Wednesday night said the incident occurred shortly after 6.20pm when a man onboard a commuter rail service arriving at Connolly Station was observed in possession of a suspect firearm.

"The individual is not alleged to have made any threat towards any passenger onboard," it said.

The statement said the man, aged in his 50s, was arrested and held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

"The suspect firearm has now been seized and a full technical examination will be conducted to determine its status under Irish legislation," it said.

Fake news

In response to disinformation online, the statement: “An Garda Síochána is aware of commentary in circulation online in relation to this incident which contains misinformation, disinformation and fake news."

The man is an Irish citizen and not an asylum seeker.

The man was released on Thursday, while ballistic tests are completed. If they determine the weapon is a firearm under the legislation he could be charged. If it is deemed not to be a firearm, the man may not be charged with a firearms offence.

Gardaí will also talk to the purported buyer of the gun to check the story.