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Stabbing near Dublin school ‘not terror related’ as girl (5) in critical condition

Gardai say a man in his fifties who was taken to hospital for treatment is a “person of interest” in the case and they are not looking for anyone else

Unmute

Stabbing near Dublin school ‘not terror related’ as girl (5) in critical condition – SundayWorld.com (2023-11-23T18:50:00Z)

Scene of stabbing in Dublin City Centre

Ken Foy, Robin Schiller and Neil Fetherstonhaugh

Yesterday at 18:50

A young girl is in critical condition after five people were injured in a stabbing near a school in Dublin city centre.

Three children were among the casualties taken to hospital following the attack which occurred shortly after 1pm near Parnell Square on the northside of Dublin.

One of the children – a young girl who is aged 5 – was gravely injured and is receiving urgent medical treatment in CHI Temple Street.

A boy (5) and a girl (6) were taken to CHI Crumlin for treatment for less serious injuries and the boy has since been released.

A woman in her 30s was also injured in the attack.

Gardai say a man in his fifties who was taken to hospital for treatment is a “person of interest” in the case and they are not looking for anyone else.

Mary-Lou McDonald offers her sympathy as three children injured in Dublin knife attack

In a garda press briefing at Mountjoy garda station this evening, Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty said they are satisfied there is no “terror related activity” linked to the attack and they are treating it as “a standalone” incident.

Supt Geraghty praised members of the public who intervened to protect the students.

He said: “My understanding is members of the public did intervene at a very, very early stage and we would applaud those members of the public for getting involved in such a traumatic and potentially dangerous situation for themselves.

“We’re aware that the public are concerned about the activities that have happened today. The message to them is that we believe that this is a standalone incident, not necessarily connected to any wider issues that are ongoing in the country or in the city, and we need to identify the exact reasons for that happening.

“So we’d ask for people not to jump to conclusions and not to make rash judgments on what may have happened.”

He said the parents of the children involved were aware of the incident very quickly.

“We are dealing, not just with the parents of the three children, but parents of the wider group that would have seen and potentially be traumatised as a result of what happened this afternoon,” he said.

“My understanding is that the first emergency services were ambulances, and they were there within minutes, followed by An Garda Síochána.”

Earlier, gardai said the casualties have been taken to various hospitals in the Dublin Region, according to gardai.

“One child, a girl, has sustained serious injuries, while the other two children are being treated for less serious injuries,” a spokesperson said.

“An Garda Síochána is in contact with parents of all three injured children.

“The adult female is being treated for serious injuries and the adult male for less serious injuries,” the spokeperson added.

An eye witness at the scene told how the children involved in the incident suddenly “fell to the ground.”

“The kids were out walking. All of a sudden one of them fell to the ground, then another fell to the ground, then another falls to the ground.

“Then this guy started running past.”

The eyewitness said the assailant was armed with a knife and fell to the ground and “a load of people jumped on him”.

They said that people at the scene then formed a cordon around the assailant to stop him from being assaulted.

The witness said: “The police were on the scene pretty quickly. An undercover garda came running up and intervened.

“Then the cordon went up and there were people, maybe parents, I don’t know, were running up and going underneath it, sprinting up the road.”

Local councillor Nial Ring told how he had spoken to a woman who helped remove the knife from the attacker, which he says “helped prevent more carnage”.

“I have just come back from Parnell Square where shocked parents and children are coming to terms with the horrific attack,” he told the Sunday World.

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“I spoke with parents and passers-by alike and the sense of shock was palpable”

“I have a long standing connection with the school and I know many of the parents and pupils as well as their brilliant principal.

“I also spoke with the lady who was on her way to the Stardust inquiry but on seeing the attack confronted the attacker with another man and managed to get the knife off him. Those two citizens are real heroes and probably prevented even more carnage.”

“I spoke with parents who had to wait outside the school (at the back lane) and hoped and prayed that their child would come out. The sense of fear and foreboding had parents I know in tears. We cannot even start to imagine the traumatic effect for those whose children did not come out.” “It was like a lottery, ” one father said to me.

“Our thoughts are with the injured children and their parents and I am sure the Department of Education will immediately put in place counselling for the children and staff who have witnessed such a traumatic event. This will be a vital part of bringing some sort of normality back to the school”

“This only happens in America” was a phrase I heard a good few times today. It happened here – let’s take all the steps necessary to make sure it can never happen again” .

Minister for Education Norma Foley said that The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) is providing support to the school community.

“I wish to express my deepest sympathies to the three children and the woman who were viciously attacked in Dublin,” she said.

Our hearts and minds go out to all who were injured today and to all of their families, as well as all the staff who care for them in the school and in their crèche.”

In a statement the INTO said its thoughts and prayers were with the students and teachers in the school.

“Our hearts are with the entire school community of Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire following the horrendous incident that has taken place today. We are thinking of the children, their families and the school’s staff during this unimaginably difficult time.

“We are in touch with the school and know teachers around the country will have the school in their thoughts and prayers this evening,” a spokesperson for the INTO said.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she is “deeply shocked by the appalling attack on three innocent children and a woman in Dublin today.

“The attack has shocked us all and I’ve no doubt the person responsible will be brought to justice. However, my thoughts are with the innocent children and the woman who have been attacked, their families and those who are caring for them at this time,” she added.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has described the violent attack as “beyond words”

She said the violent attack “has sent shock and horror throughout the community. My heart goes out to all the hurt and injured, the parents, teachers but especially the children who have been so traumatised. This is beyond words,” she wrote on Twitter.

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Green Party Councillor Janet Horner said she knew the school believed to be at the centre of the incident and some of the parents of children at the school.

“I haven’t spoken to any of them yet,” she said. “I’m sure everybody’s just reeling at the moment.

“It’s horrific,” she added. “I think people are really shocked. Many people have contacted me already and I think everyone is just stunned.”

Earlier, gardai said in a statement: “An Garda Síochána are investigating all the circumstances of a serious public order incident which occurred on Parnell Square East, shortly after 1.30pm this afternoon Thursday, 23rd November 2023.

The scene remains sealed off at this time.

An Garda Síochána is following a definite line of inquiry.

An Garda Síochána is not looking for any other person at this time.

There is no further information