Gardaí have confirmed that an incident in which a teenager barricaded himself in a house, with access to firearms and ammunition, has been resolved peacefully.
The incident had been ongoing since 19 February, when Gardaí responded to a domestic incident at a private dwelling in Letterkenny, Donegal. There was nobody else in the house at the time of incident.
In a statement issued this morning, An Garda Síochána said: “Following assessment of available information, the incident was declared a barricade incident by Chief Superintendent, Terry McGinn, Donegal Division at 10pm on 19 February.
“An Garda Síochána protocols for a barricade incident were implemented.” The protocols involved presence by Regional Armed Support Units from the North Western Region and specialist Units from An Garda Síochána Special Tactics and Operations Command, including Emergency Response Unit, and the National Negotiator Unit.
At thirty minutes past midnight on today (22 February), the barricade situation was “resolved peacefully” and Gardaí have reported that no injuries were suffered during the incident. A shotgun and ammunition were safely secured at the scene.
The male teenager has now been arrested and is currently detained under section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Co. Donegal, where he is receiving medical assessment.
In total, the barricade lasted for 54 hours.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “An Garda Síochána was supported by Consultant Psychiatrists, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum and staff from TUSLA Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and worked closely with the immediate family and wider community in the area.
“An Garda Síochána continues to work closely with the parents and family of the male teenager.”
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