Crime & Law

Armed gardaí called to standoff at housing estate in Co Laois

Gardaí rammed front door of property and stormed inside shortly after 2.30pm

12/11/'19 Members of the Garda Armed Response Unit pictured during a joint training exercise between An Garda Síochána, HSE (National Ambulance Service), Louth County Council, Monaghan County Council which took place at locations in Louth and Monaghan. An Garda Síochána and their partner Principle Response Agencies (PRA’s) exercised their activation, response, and coordination in responding to a complex and dynamic emergency situation. The scenario for the excercise was, staff from Louth County Council discover trespassers discharging contents from a tanker into the river fane at the water Pumping station at Newtownfane, Co. Louth. Staff alert Gardai but are taken hostage by two of the men. At the same time one man leaves the site in a second tanker and becomes involved in a Major RTC with a bus in Co. Monaghan. The collision results in Multiple fatalities and injuries.....Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Armed gardaí attended the scene. Photograph: Colin Keegan / Collins Dublin
Sarah Slater
Wed Jul 24 2024 - 15:36

Armed gardai were called to a standoff situation at a housing estate in Co Laois on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident unfolded at a house in the Heatherhill housing estate, Graiguecullen, on the Laois/Carlow town border at about 1pm.

A man inside the property is understood to have started behaving erratically. A number of other people were in the house at the time.

Gardai were contacted by concerned neighbours in the private estate and officers rushed to the scene.

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A standoff ensued with gardaí and a trained negotiator attempting to coax the man outside the house.

However, at about 2.30pm gardaí rammed the front door of the property and stormed inside.

Several minutes later two men were taken outside and placed in garda vehicles and driven away.

It is understood that a number of firearms and a sledgehammer were found in the vicinity.

Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park confirmed an incident had taken place at a housing estate in Co Laois. It said the incident had now been resolved.