The dog shot in the head by an armed garda after it bit a colleague in the privates has been put down.
The Irish Daily Star reports that the pitbull dog initially survived Monday night’s shooting – in which he was shot in the head at point blank range with a 9mm Sig-Sauer pistol – but was later put down by a vet.
“He was able to walk to the car afterwards, but he could not survive the injuries and he was later put to sleep,” a source told The Star last night.
The dog bit the officer on his groin area during a search operation in Inchicore and – clamped down hard.
Members the Garda Armed Support Unit were carrying out a planned search in the Rialto area of Dublin when the dog lunged at one of their members.
Officers first tasered the dog, but it would not release its grip on the garda’s privates.
One garda was then forced to shoot the animal in the head and he released his grip.
He was then taken to a vet’s but had to be put down on Monday night.
The incident happened when ASU officers and local detectives were carrying out a search operation connected to three armed robberies in Dublin in as many days in the south central Dublin area.
Two took place on Monday afternoon, while a third happened over the weekend. A post office, garage and shop were all targeted.
One man was arrested in the operation on suspicion of armed robbery and he was still in custody today. He was being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which means he ca be held for up to three days.
And because a shot was fired in the incident, the matter will also be referred to GSOC, the independent policing watchdog.
