15th March 2023
Statement from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris
Today is a sombre day, in particular for Colm Horkan’s family and friends, and for everybody in Colm’s wider Garda family.
An Garda Síochána notes the verdict of the jury today for the Capital Murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan.
Colm went to work in Castlerea Garda Station on the 17th June 2020. It was a routine day’s work for Colm.
Colm was murdered on duty and never came home to his family.
Colm’s death reinforces to every member of An Garda Síochána the reality of the dangers and the uncertainty of the work that we face every day.
I want to pay tribute to the Garda investigation team in Castlerea Garda station, supported by the wider Garda organisation, that professionally investigated all the circumstances of Colm’s murder.
That investigation is a tribute to the professionalism of An Garda Síochána and to Colm.
Finally, today we stand with and support Colm’s father Marty, his siblings, wider family and friends and we remember his mother Dolores and twin sister Colette.
Today, as every day, we remember our colleague Colm who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the local community he served so well.
He will always be remembered as the kind, caring man, and professional and empathetic Garda, that he was.
