Chief suspect IDed in ‘targeted' hit-and-run before scuffle & car ramming as ‘simmering' Balbriggan feud details emerge
Detectives believe the incident is linked to an ongoing dispute which has been "simmering" in recent weeks in Balbriggan, north Co
3
The victim in his 20s was hit by a car on Railway Street
Credit: Collins Dublin
3
The incident is believed to be linked to an ongoing dispute in Balbriggan
Credit: Collins
3
Bystanders raised the alarm and emergency services attended the scene
Credit: Damien Storan
The victim in his 20s was
Bystanders raised the alarm and emergency services attended the scene, but the man was pronounced dead.
Senior sources confirmed that gardai have identified a chief suspect in the case.
Read more in News
The man, in his 40s, knew the victim well but he has yet to be arrested.
A source told the Irish Sun: "This is all part of a dispute among people all known to each other.
"It's been building up for some weeks and this has now greatly escalated it, with a man's life lost."
This morning, the body remained at the scene as the Garda Technical Bureau carried out their examination .
Most read in Irish News
The victim's remains were removed just before 11am ahead of a post mortem taking place.
A second scene outside Balbriggan Garda Station remains sealed off, also with two damaged cars at the scene.
Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads
Local Councillor Tony Murphy told
"And what I would offer my condolences to the deceased family and friends in the first instance is one thing for the town to wake up to news like this.
"But it's another thing for a family to wake up to the devastating news that they've lost one of their family members.
"I trust 100 per cent of the Gardaí in Balbriggan that they will unravel whatever has happened in this situation and that they will take the appropriate action."
GARDA APPEAL
A spokesman said: "Gardai and emergency services were alerted shortly after 9pm on Monday, 23 June 2025, following a serious road traffic collision on Railway Street, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, in which a pedestrian was struck by a car.
"The vehicle involved failed to remain at the scene. The pedestrian, a man in his 20s, received emergency treatment but was pronounced deceased at the scene a short time later.
"The scene remains preserved pending examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Local traffic diversions are currently in place.
"Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.
"Any road users or pedestrians who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) from the area at the time are asked to make it available to Gardai.
"Anyone with information is asked to contact Balbriggan Garda Station on 01 666 4500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Garda chief to meet media regulator over disinformation following Dublin City attack
A senior garda boss who strongly criticised online disinformation about the man who attacked gardaí in Dublin on Tuesday is to meet the media regulator to urge greater responsibility from social media companies. The assistant commissioner for the Dublin metropolitan region, Paul Cleary, said that people 'with their own agenda' spread disinformation about the incident in order to 'inflame situations'. Footage of part of the attack and the aftermath was uploaded onto social media, which commentary from various accounts stating the perpetrator was an immigrant or a foreigner. One post from Conor McGregor said: 'A member of An Garda Síochána stabbed this evening, on duty, by one of the Irish Government's new to the parish imports through its human trafficking racket.' The post was viewed 300,000 times and liked by over 3,000 accounts. On Wednesday morning, Mr Cleary said he was very concerned about social media posts and said gardaí had to be on the lookout for any follow-on violence or harassment. 'Unfortunately, we see it every day and we have some people with their own agenda trying to use incidents like this to inflame situations for their own ends,' he told RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland. He urged people to get their information from credible sources. Very inaccurate misinformation and disinformation went out online after this incident very quickly 'So it is concerning, and we would ask people to make sure that the source of their information is credible.' Irish citizen The Irish Examiner understands that Mr Cleary has sought, and secured, a meeting with Comisiún na Meán, the media regulator, in relation to the incident and to push for social media companies to do more on disinformation and the dangers than can bring. It emerged on Tuesday night that the suspect was born in Ireland and is an Irish citizen. He comes from a Pakistani background, with an address in Portlaoise, but is also thought to have an address in Dublin. The 23-year-old is not thought to have come to the attention of gardaí before this incident. The injured garda, a young probationary, was brought to hospital, but he was due to be discharged. Sources said the injuries could have been worse and that his anti-stab vest might have saved him. The officers, based at Bridewell Garda Station, subdued the man with pepper spray and batons. Due to the factors in the case, the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service has been brought in to support investigators in establishing a motive for the attack. It is analysing evidence from digital devices and social media posts and information from family, friends, religious contacts, and associates. Garda Representative Association vice president Niall Hodgins, who is also a representative for the Dublin North Central garda region, said: 'I wish to extend our heartfelt wishes to our injured friend and colleague, and wish him a speedy recovery. "This young probationary member was subject to a quite terrifying and unprovoked attack, and only for his bravery and that of his colleagues this incident could have resulted in far worse and unthinkable consequences."
RTÉ News
9 hours ago
- RTÉ News
178,000 products withdrawn, recalled or prevented from reaching market in 2024
Over 178,000 unsafe products were recalled, withdrawn or prevented from reaching the Irish market last year by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The actions were taken following consumer complaints, referrals from European networks, proactive investigations and work with Revenue Customs. The recalls included almost 10,000 babies sleepsuits and over 2,400 toy construction trucks. The CCPC's annual report for 2024 also showed that it carried out more than 200 consumer protection inspections last year. As a result of the enforcement and legal actions, it issued 47 fixed penalty notices and 23 compliance notices. The report said successful prosecutions were brought against five retailers, including Tesco Ireland. The CCPC said the retailer pleaded guilty to two sample counts of failing to comply with the law in how they displayed the price of products offered on promotion to clubcard holders. The consumer watchdog also undertook five successful prosecutions for breaches of consumer protection law, including action against misleading pricing practices. And it opened an investigation into Ticketmaster Ireland and its handling of the sale of Oasis tickets last August, following almost 100 complaints over dynamic pricing. The commission also carried out dawn raids on two premises as part of an ongoing cartel-related investigation in the home alarm industry. It also assisted the Italian Competition Authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, in an unannounced search of Ryanair's headquarters in Dublin as part of an ongoing Italian competition law investigation. The CCPC said its "successful intervention to prevent a potential monopoly in car parking at Dublin Airport" was among its highlights in 2024. The consumer watchdog said it blocked the daa's attempted purchase of the former Quickpark site due to findings that it would lead to "higher prices, less choice and lower service quality for consumers." As a result, it said it facilitated the entry of a new competitor to the car park market at Dublin Airport. There was a 21% increase in merger notifications, with 71% of determinations last year made within 13.3 days under a simplified process. 2024 marked a significant milestone for the CCPC, which celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking what it described as "a decade of work promoting competition and enhancing consumer welfare." The Chairperson of the CCPC, Brian McHugh, said the annual report highlights the "vital role the CCPC plays across all sectors of the economy, from enforcing consumer law on retail pricing, to advocating proactively for reforming the legal sector to better serve the interests of Irish businesses and consumers." "Open, fair markets are the backbone of our economy's success, ensuring that whether consumers are making small everyday purchases or major financial decisions, their interests are protected," he added. "Following a year of notable achievements and a decade of progress, our focus remains on delivering transparent outcomes, empowering consumers with knowledge of their rights, and being a leading voice for competition and consumer welfare across Ireland." The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said the CCPC "continues to deliver for Irish consumers and businesses by ensuring our markets remain competitive, transparent, and safe." "Their work in 2024, from blocking anti-competitive mergers to removing dangerous products and empowering consumers through education, demonstrates the importance of strong, independent enforcement." Minister Burke said he will continue his close collaboration with the CCPC to ensure it has "sufficient powers and resources to effectively advocate for and enforce competition and consumer protection legislation." The commission said it responded to over 44,000 helpline contacts and received 1.8 million visits to its website throughout last year.
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Capel St stabbing: How misinformation spread across social media
At about 6.30pm on Tuesday evening, a probationary garda on a high-visibility patrol on Capel St, Dublin, was attacked without provocation by a knife-wielding assailant. Within minutes, misinformation regarding the attacker, who is an Irish citizen, had begun to spread on various social media platforms — a recurring trend in recent times in the fallout from such incidents, with false narratives emerging before facts can be definitively established by official outlets. 6.55pm: An X account, with just 13 followers, posts: 'Garda stabbed by foreigner on Capel Street 10 minutes ago." This post is made in response to an unrelated post from prominent far-right agitator Mick O'Keeffe. The post has been viewed 1,100 times. It is followed eight minutes later by a post from an account with 15 followers, stating: 'Capel Street 20 minutes ago, copper randomly stabbed by foreigner'. That post has been viewed more than 80,000 times. 7.43pm: Prominent anti-immigration X account Real News Éire posts a video allegedly depicting the assault, stating: "A foreigner has stabbed a Gardai [sic] on Capel Street'. The video has been viewed more than 237,000 times. 8.32pm: Gardaí release a statement, quoting assistant commissioner for the Dublin region Paul Cleary, noting the attack and the fact the attacker had been arrested at the scene. No details of his nationality or ethnicity is given, a break from the protocol employed with regard to a shooting at a Carlow shopping centre in early June, when gardaí moved within hours to confirm that the shooter in question Evan Fitzgerald — who took his own life during the incident — was both white and Irish. Revealing such information early is a calculated gambit to quell the spread of misinformation before it can take hold. 8.37pm: Former mixed martial artist Conor McGregor posts on X that an attack has been carried out on a garda 'by one of the Irish Government's new to the parish imports through its human trafficking racket'. The post has been viewed more than 352,000 times. Wednesday morning: It emerges that Tuesday evening's attacker is an Irish citizen of Pakistani heritage. Mr Cleary speaks on RTÉ Radio of 'very inaccurate misinformation and disinformation that went out online after this incident very quickly'. 'We have some people with their own agenda trying to use incidents like this to inflame situations for their own ends," he says. All of the original posts describing the attacker as a non-Irish national remain online. A post from McGregor on Wednesday afternoon pivoted somewhat in describing the suspected attacker as 'a second-generation migrant of full Pakistani heritage', while stating that 'the stabber and his entire family MUST BE DEPORTED' — a statement viewed more than 218,000 times.
