The Irish Police (Garda) assured this Thursday that the knife attack that occurred in the center of Dublin that caused five injuries, three of them minors, "is not related to terrorism" and that it could be an "isolated" event.
In a media appearance, Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty reported that the investigation is now trying to establish the reasons why a man in his 50s, already in custody, stabbed a woman, three minors and injured himself today. also himself with a knife.
According to Geraghty, the alleged aggressor, whose identity has not been revealed, is also hospitalized with stab wounds and is being interrogated to clarify the reasons for the attack, for which he urged citizens to remain calm and "avoid premature trials."
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said police had detained a suspect. The victims were taken to hospital after the stabbing in the city centre.
National broadcaster RTE quoted a witness as saying she had seen a man across the street and when she approached the scene, she said that, as far as she knew, two children had been stabbed.
Anthony Boyle, 31, a consultant who lives nearby and was just passing by the scene of the attack, told Reuters he had seen "a girl on the ground, a little girl."
"There was complete and utter chaos, women crying, men screaming and crying," he said. Furthermore, he added that he had been able to see a man lying on his side but that he did not directly witness the attack.
One girl suffered serious injuries and the other two children are being treated for minor injuries, police said. An adult woman is also being treated for serious injuries and an adult man has minor injuries, the security force added.
Local media reported that people were stabbed in Dublin's Parnell Square, which is next to the city's main street, O'Connell Street. "We are all shocked by the incident," Varadkar said in a statement.
The Irish Times reported that the detained suspect had suffered injuries believed to be self-inflicted. Early indications suggested that a man attempted to attack several young people and that passersby intervened. The motive for the attack, which took place near a school, has not yet been established.
