A man in his 20’s whose pit bull dog bit an armed garda in the groin when officers stormed his home is suspected of being on a crime spree because he owes a “significant debt.”
An officer from the Armed Support Unit (ASU) was forced to shoot the dog yesterday evening during the arrest operation in Inchicore in the capital’s south inner city.
The dog was brought for veterinary treatment and it is understood it has since died.
The Inchicore man was arrested in the Emmet Crescent area on suspicion of carrying out two armed robberies in Rialto and Kilmainham yesterday.
Shortly after 12 noon on Monday a lone man armed with a handgun entered a shop in Rialto and threatened staff before leaving the scene with a sum of cash.
Moments later a man entered a supermarket and post office in the Kilmainham area and threatened staff before leaving the scene with a quantity of cigarettes.
No one was physically harmed in either incident.
In the course of a follow up operation local detectives and members of the Armed Support Unit carried out a search of the house in the Inchicore area later in the evening.
The suspect was arrested and detained under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act at Kevin Street Garda Station.
He can be held for up to three days before being charged or released.
A number of items believed to be connected with the robberies were seized and held as evidence.
A statement from the garda press office confirmed that during the operation an official firearm was discharged when Gardaí were attacked by a dog.
“One Garda member was injured in the attack and required medical treatment. The dog has been removed for veterinary treatment,” it said.
It is understood the dog ran at the garda and bit him in the groin, and was then shot and injured by a member of the Armed Support Unit.
Because a garda firearm was discharged the matter was reported to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) as per protocol.
It is understood no further investigation will be carried out by GSOC after an examination of the facts but the garda investigation into the robberies is ongoing.
Independent.ie can also reveal that the suspect is also being questioned about an armed robbery at a service station in the Inchicore area on Sunday.
“He is suspected of at least three armed robberies. He was on a bit of a spree and it seems that he is desperate for money because he owes a significant debt,” a senior source said.
The handgun which is suspected of being an intimidation weapon has not yet been recovered by gardai.