14 hours ago
Man arrested following fatal hit-and-run in Balbriggan
A man has been arrested following a fatal hit-and-run in north Co. Dublin on Monday night, which later led to a car being rammed outside a nearby Garda station.
The victim, aged in his 30s, was killed after being struck by a car at the corner of Railway Street in Balbriggan at 9pm on Monday.
The driver fled the scene, with investigators suspecting that the hit-and-run is linked to a local feud involving members of the Roma community. Gardaí on Drogheda Street in Balbriggan on Monday. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
'As part of the ongoing investigation, a man in his 40s has been arrested and is currently detained under at a Garda station in north Dublin,' gardaí stated.
It's understood the man knew the victim. The death also sparked subsequent incidents in which a BMW was rammed outside Balbriggan Garda Station on Drogheda Street and a confrontation between two groups occurred. Members of the Garda Public Order Unit were deployed.
A Garda spokesperson said that investigating officers are 'particularly interested in the movements of a black saloon car' observed in the area at the time of the hit-and run, which was 'later abandoned following a collision on Drogheda Street, Balbriggan, with a second saloon car shortly after the fatal incident'. A damaged car on Drogheda Street in Balbriggan on Monday. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
A Garda source said: 'It's not unusual that this would kick off when the parties involved are known to each other and it's a high-octane situation.'
No arrests have been made in relation to the ramming incident or the scuffle that broke out on the street. It's understood that gardaí prioritised apprehending the suspect of the hit-and-run.
'No injuries were reported so any public order incidents will also be dealt with as part of the investigation,' the source said. The victim, aged in his 30s, was killed after being struck by a car at the corner of Railway Street in Balbriggan at 9pm on Monday. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
'This is mostly a domestic issue between families, we see no threat that this will spiral out of control.' The man's body remained at the scene overnight under a forensics tent until it could be removed for a preliminary examination by a pathologist shortly before noon. A post-mortem was carried out by the Office of the State Pathologist at Dublin City Mortuary and a preliminary report has been prepared for the investigation team, a Garda source added.
One local source told that they believed that the fatal incident was sparked by a 'domestic internal Roma community issue' that they expected would be 'a one-off'.
Fingal county councillor Jimmy Guerin said: 'It's very frightening and unsettling for locals. People are nervous that they could be walking into a dangerous area. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
They are using a new type of attack, using vehicles as weapons to ram each other.
'Gardaí need to go in harder and more direct on these groups to stop this before it spreads out of control to other areas.'
Councillor Malachy Quinn said that local residents had been shocked by the situation, particularly as children had been walking through the area on their way home from sports training at the time of the incident.
Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.
