THE GARDA Síochána Ombudsman Commission has begun an investigation into an incident in which a man shot himself dead shortly after speeding away from gardaí who had noticed a shotgun and cartridges on the seat of his vehicle.
The incident occurred early yesterday morning on the side of a street close to the entrance of Drogheda Port in Drogheda, Co Louth.
The identity of the dead man had not been officially released last night, but he was named locally as David Kelly, a father of two in his late 30s, from Drogheda. He worked in a local dairy.
The incident began before 5am yesterday when gardaí on patrol in a vehicle saw a silver Santa Fe 4X4 driving erratically in the Haymarket Bridge area of Drogheda. Gardaí stopped the vehicle to speak to Mr Kelly, who was the sole occupant. As they engaged him in conversation, they noticed a shotgun and cartridges inside the car and questioned Mr Kelly about the items, asking him to step outside his vehicle.
At that point, Mr Kelly drove off at speed. While efforts were made to follow him, he eluded gardaí for a time, despite gardaí going to his home on the Grangerath estate in Drogheda.
A short time later a patrol car passed Mr Kelly’s vehicle as it was parked on the Strand Road on the quays around 100m from the entrance to Drogheda Port.
As the patrol car was passing, a shotgun was pointed out the window of Mr Kelly’s vehicle and two shots were fired in the air.
Sources described them as “warning shots”, saying they were not directed at the patrol car. The gardaí were unarmed. They continued driving and, at a safe distance, contacted colleagues by radio seeking armed back-up.
Members of the armed Garda regional support unit arrived on the scene. Members of the unit took up position near the parked vehicle. As they approached the Mr Kelly’s vehicle, he discharged a shot from his shotgun, fatally wounding himself.
Gardaí sealed off the scene and the matter was referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which must by law investigate any loss of life arising during or immediately after the deceased has been in contact with gardaí.
State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy examined Mr Kelly’s body at the scene, before it was removed for a postmortem.
Anyone who was in the North Strand area of Drogheda between 5am and 7am yesterday is asked to contact the .
