At 12.30 on the 28th December 2013 Gardai in Sligo received a telephone call of suspicious activity at a house approximately two miles outside Sligo town on the Strandhill Rd locally known as Scardenmore.
On arrival uniformed Gardai noticed damage to a patio door. They then observed a male in his 30's in the house carrying a firearm. The male discharged the firearm in the direction of the Gardai. The Gardai retreated to the marked patrol car. Gardai at the scene requested the assistance of further units to attend the scene. The Regional Response Unit attended the scene a short time later and the male discharged further shots. The Gardai returned fire and also deployed less lethal. The male barricaded himself into the house. A critical incident was established and an on scene Commander was designated in accordance with barricade incident protocols. Two cordons were put in place and inner and outer surrounding the house in question. The scene was then attended by armed units from the Emergency Response Units, trained hostage negotiators and local units. A number of houses adjacent to this property were evacuated. The main Sligo to Strandhill was closed during this incident for safety reasons. The area is still sealed off to facilitate a technical and ballistic examination.
The house is believed to be the family home and no other family members were present at the time.
At approximately 1.30pm on the 28th December 2013 the male exited the house. The male was arrested under the provisions of section 30 Offences Against the State Act 1939 as amended and is currently detained at Sligo Garda Station. A licensed firearm (shotgun) was recovered and will now be subject to technical examination.
No one was injured during the course of this incident.
We wish to thank the media for their cooperation for the media blackout and a press briefing will be held at Sligo Garda station at 3.15pm.
