Teenager arrested after three-day barricade incident in Co Donegal

Teen barricaded himself into Letterkenny house with shotgun and ammunition

Gardaí followed protocols for a barricade incident, with the Garda Emergency Response Unit intervening. File photograph: Cyril Byrne
Gardaí followed protocols for a barricade incident, with the Garda Emergency Response Unit intervening. File photograph: Cyril Byrne

A teenager has been arrested in Co Donegal after he barricaded himself into a house in Letterkenny over three days with a shotgun and ammunition.

Nobody else was in the house at the time of the incident, which started around 5pm on Wednesday.

It was resolved peacefully at around 12.30am on Saturday.

Gardaí followed protocols for a barricade incident, with the Garda Emergency Response Unit intervening.

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Uniform and plain clothes gardaí, crisis negotiators and the armed support unit all assisted in “containing the incident, preserving life and beinging the incident to a peaceful conclusion”, a Garda statement said.

Consultant psychiatrists, the central mental hospital in Dundrum, Tusla staff and Adolescent Mental Health Services are working with family and the wider community.

The teenager is receiving medical assessment at a Garda Station in Co Donegal.

A media blackout had been observed during the incident at the request of gardaí.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said he was pleased the incident had concluded peacefully.

“I want to commend all the members of An Garda Siochana, the other dedicated public service professionals, along with vital family and community support who worked tirelessly for the past two days to successfully resolve a sensitive incident in Donegal and bring matters to a safe conclusion,” Mr Flanagan said.

“The outcome is a testament to the professionalism and expertise of all those involved. I also want to express my gratitude to the media for their responsible attitude and cooperation with the authorities during the incident.”