A man who shot himself in a Dublin Garda station last night is still in a critical condition on a life-support machine in the Mater Hospital.
Gardaí identified the man, who has paramilitary connections, last night but will not be releasing his name until his family has been contacted.
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The man walked into the Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station in Dublin’s north inner city at around 6 p.m. last night and shot himself in the head with a handgun.
He is from Belfast and is known to police on both sides of the border.
The 39-year-old former INLA member was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to murder in the mid-1980s as part of one of the high-profile "supergrass" trials. He was also charged with firearms offences in the 1990s.
The man also appeared before the anti-terrorist Special Criminal Court in the Nineties on firearms charges.
It is understood that the Gardaí identified the man through his girlfriend contacting them late last night after hearing public appeals.
Three officers were on duty in the reception area at the time of the shooting, as well as the member of the public.
According to Superintendent Albert Treacy said, "A man walked into the public office in the station and inflicted gunshot wounds to his head.
"One garda was attending to a customer at the counter when this man walked up behind the customer.
"He walked up to the counter, pulled out the gun and inflicted the injuries on himself.
"He was immediately attended to by gardai on duty at the station and was removed by ambulance to the Mater Hospital.
"He muttered something like ‘I am going to do it now' or words to that affect before pulling the trigger," Supt Treacy added
Additional reporting PA
