Gardaí are searching the River Liffey after a man pointed what looked like a gun at three gardaí, one of them a trainee, during a chase through Dublin city centre in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The man then threw the weapon into the river and got away. A preliminary examination of a magazine recovered at the scene suggests the weapon was a “realistic imitation firearm”, according to a Garda spokesperson quoted by the Irish Times. The weapon itself had not been recovered at the time of the reports.
What happened on Abbey Street
Shortly before 5am on Saturday 31 October, gardaí on patrol on Abbey Street noticed a man on a bicycle who they said was acting suspiciously. When they tried to speak to him, he took off.
Two uniformed gardaí and a trainee garda gave chase. According to the Garda account carried by RTÉ, the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner, a struggle broke out when they caught up with him, and one garda was assaulted and suffered minor injuries.
During the struggle the man produced a firearm and aimed it at the three officers, who took cover. He then ran, throwing the weapon into the Liffey as he went. Gardaí recovered a magazine from the weapon, which is now going for forensic examination.
No arrest had been announced by Saturday evening, and Gardaí have not released a description of the man beyond saying he was a cyclist. Investigating gardaí are based at Store Street station.
Commissioner praises ‘bravery’
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly commended the gardaí involved. He said the incident showed once again the potential dangers members face every day they put on the uniform, and that gardaí regularly go above and beyond to keep people safe.
The fact that a trainee was among those who had to dive for cover is likely to strike a chord inside the force. Trainee gardaí spend part of their training on the street under the supervision of experienced colleagues, and an early-morning patrol in the city centre is exactly the kind of posting where they learn the job.
Why ‘imitation’ still matters
It may sound like a relief that the weapon is thought to be a replica, but for the officers facing it in the dark there was no way of telling the difference. Realistic imitation firearms are designed to look like the real thing, which is why pointing one at someone can still lead to serious charges, and why gardaí treat every such incident as a firearms incident until proven otherwise.
The incident comes at a tense time for Garda resources. The Garda Representative Association has been in a row with Garda management over rostering and workload ahead of a busy period of international events in Dublin, and frontline members have repeatedly raised concerns about assaults on gardaí. Saturday’s chase will add to that debate, though there is no suggestion it was linked to any wider dispute.
What happens next
Searches of the surrounding area and of the river are continuing in an effort to recover the weapon. Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was on Abbey Street, Jervis Street, the Quays or in Temple Bar between 4.45am and 5.15am on Saturday to come forward. They particularly want to hear from anyone with camera footage, including motorists with dash-cam recordings.
Anyone with information can contact Store Street Garda station on 01 666 8000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. If a person is arrested and charged, the case will come before the courts and further details are likely to emerge only then.
Sources
- RTÉ News: Firearm aimed at gardaí during attempted arrest in Dublin (31 October 2026)
- Irish Times: Man aims firearm at gardaí following chase through Dublin city centre (31 October 2026)
- Irish Examiner: Investigation underway following ‘imitation firearm’ aimed at Gardaí in Dublin (31 October 2026)
Featured image: Silver garda car by EI321, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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