Armed gardaí arrest man with knife who tried to hijack car

‘Non-lethal options’ used to apprehend suspect who is now being treated in hospital

A man armed with a knife has been arrested after he attempted to hijack a car at knife point shortly after he was involved in a hit-and-run collision in Dublin last night.

The incident occurred shortly before 9pm when there was a collision involving two cars on the Cookstown Way in Tallaght. Gardaí said in a statement on Tuesday that one of the cars involved came to a stop having crashed into a bollard.

The incident occurred shortly before 9pm when there was a collision involving two cars on the Cookstown Way in Tallaght. Gardaí said in a statement today that one of the cars involved came to a stop having crashed into a bollard.

The driver of that car fled the scene on foot before attempting to hijack a car at knife point short distance away at the Watergate Estate.

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According to gardaí, significant damage was caused to the other car involved in the initial collision, but it is understood that the driver, a woman in her 30s, escaped injury.

Following the incidents, local detectives and Armed Support Unit members were alerted. During a follow-up operation the officers located a man armed with a knife at Rosebank Estate.

As the Gardaí attempted to approach the man, he inflicted a number of knife wounds to himself.

He was apprehended by the armed support unit, who used “non-lethal options” in doing so, before first aid was administered and he was taken to to Tallaght Hospital, where he is now recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

Gardaí are asking anyone with information which can aid the ongoing investigation to contact Tallaght Garda station on 01 666 6000 or the confidential line on 1800 666 111.

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times