An off-duty member of the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU) suffered a fractured skull and a brain bleed following a violent assault in Dublin city centre over the weekend, The Irish Times reported.
The attack also left a fellow off-duty garda with less serious injuries. Gardai have described the incident as unprovoked and are treating it as a suspected robbery.
The assault occurred at approximately 1.30am on Saturday at the junction of Dame Street and Eustace Street, Dublin 2. Both gardai had been socialising at a Christmas party on Friday night before the attack took place.
A prime suspect was arrested in the city on Saturday night, with some of his belongings believed to have been stolen from the assaulted gardai during the attack.
Gardai investigating the case made a second arrest on Sunday evening, detaining another man suspected of involvement. Both individuals remained in custody as of early Monday.
Taoiseach Simon Harris condemned the incident, describing it as “an alarming and egregious attack” on members of An Garda Síochána. He expressed solidarity with the injured gardai and vowed that the attackers would face the “full rigours of the law.”