KILLED BY HIS OWN GUN
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THE garda blasted to death with his own gun in a brutal attack on a deserted street has been described as an “absolute gentleman”.
The killer emptied the entire clip of Detective Garda Colm Horkan’s handgun as he fired up to 15 times after wrestling it from him.
The 49-year-old was on a routine, anti-crime patrol just yards from Castlerea Garda station in Co Roscommon on Wednesday night when he was killed.
He stopped to speak to a man on a motorbike shortly before midnight and became involved in a scuffle at the junction of Main Street and Patrick Street.
It is believed the man disarmed the garda and then ruthlessly turned his service issue Sig Sauer P226 on him.
The volley of shots could be heard by Gda Horkan’s colleagues in the nearby station.
Two uniformed officers patrolling in a squad car were the first upon the scene within moments.
They tackled and disarmed the suspect as more gardai dashed from the barracks.
Sources said they believed the gunman might also have targeted the responding officers had he not fired all bullets in the clip.
Garda chief Drew Harris yesterday confirmed the suspect was a lone attacker not linked to any organised crime or subversive groups.
It’s understood he was known to local gardai. He has been described as a volatile and violent individual.
Speaking from the scene, Mr Harris said: “We have lost for no good purpose here today a really beloved member of this community.
“This was in effect a conversation between Detective Garda Horkan and a member of the public.
“There is then an altercation during which the service pistol Detective Horkan was carrying was used against him and he was shot and fatally wounded.
“He received prompt and professional medical attention but to no avail and died of his injuries.
“There is no sense at all of a bigger picture – organised crime or subversive – so what we have here is a random act, a violent act which has led to the death of Detective Garda Horkan. This act is unusual
and an aberration.” Mr Harris described the killing as an attack on the entire force and society.
He added: “This belittles us all and it grieves us all. A garda out doing their duty and keeping people safe. This is a dreadful loss for us all.
“Colm Horkan served in An Garda Siochana for 24 years and indeed served in this town and local area for 21 years. Much respected by his colleagues, much respected by his community and a good garda out doing his duty last night.”
Mr Harris revealed Gda Horkan was on routine patrol and “probably” would have recognised his killer.
He said: “Detective Horkan served so long here that it would be hard to say who he didn’t know in the town and the surrounding area.”
The Garda chief also visited the victim’s elderly father Marty who he lived with in Charlestown in neighbouring Co Mayo.
He is survived by four brothers and a sister, after losing his own twin sister Colette tragically young to illness. His mother Dolores is also deceased.
Mr Harris added: “I want to convey my own deep personal sympathy to them. We will all be there for them in the weeks, months and years ahead with the terrible burden they now have to bear.
“Although we feel his loss very severely, our thoughts are with his family and the loss they now must bear following this dreadful death.”
Dozens of gardai attended an impromptu prayer service in Castlerea yesterday afternoon to pray for their fallen colleague.
The victim had joined the force in 1994 and was in the same trainee class as Det Gda Adrian Donohoe who also died in the line of duty in 2013.
Det Gda Horkan spent 21 years working in the Mayo and Roscommon area on investigations including the landmark Roscommon house of horrors case. Last night, gardai were continuing to question a 43-yearold man who is being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
Stephen Silver is from a well-known and liked family in the Co Roscommon town.
Sources said he had a transient life and had recently returned from the UK. He has stayed at addresses in Mayo and Roscommon in recent times.
The former factory worker is believed to be a bike enthusiast.
One friend of his family told the Irish Mirror: “I also feel for them today having to deal with this as well.
A garda doing their duty and keeping people safe. This is a dreadful loss
GARDA CHIEF DREW HARRIS CASTLEREA YESTERDAY
They are a respected family from the area too.”
Gardai are probing if the suspect was dealing with mental health issues.
It’s understood he behaved erratically in the station and was doing push-ups and exercises in his cell.
There were heartbreaking scenes as Det Gda Horkan’s colleagues stood by his body on the street while local priest Fr John Mcmanus gave him the last rites after the attack.
The priest said: “When you receive a call from the Garda you know it is never good news. I was called around midnight and it was my job to anoint Colm who had sadly died.
“There was a poignant moment towards the end.
“There was this eerie and stunned silence.
“His colleagues then joined in his final prayers and we remained with him then.” They then had to inform his devastated father and confirmed the news to the nation that the detective was the 89th officer killed in
the line of duty. Locals in the town of 2,000 people were devastated at the events.
The killing came as Castlerea was preparing to mark the 40th anniversary of the murder of two other gardai shot down in the line of duty.
Friends said Det Gda Horkan would have attended the service on July 7 to remember gardai Henry Byrne and John Morley who have roads named in their honour just minutes from the scene of the latest shooting.
Community activist Breege Callaghan said: “The town is devastated.
“It is devastating news especially as it is a town that has witnessed this already, almost 40 years to the day and we lost two fine, young gardai. The scene is a bit eerie, there is a silence.
“He was a very nice compassionate man, like all gardai, very professional in how they do their job. We take it for granted.”
Castlerea publican Ollie Hester said he and others in the town are in a “deep state of shock and sadness”.
He added: “He was such a lovely man and so well respected in the community here.
“He was an absolute gentleman. No one in the town can get over what has happened to him.”
Public representatives, including Deputy Frank Feighan and MEP Luke “Ming” Flanagan, came to the scene
He was very nice
... like all gardai, very professional
BREEGE CALLAGHAN CASTLEREA YESTERDAY
to pay respects as locals laid flowers. Footage from the aftermath of the killing was briefly posted on social media it emerged.
Mr Harris said: “We understand perhaps an image of the scene was shown on social media very shortly afterwards. We would ask that person to come forward and present that footage to us, that could be very useful and important to this investigation.
“We would ask anyone in the local community who can assist us with this investigation to do so if they saw anything suspicious.” Witnesses are asked to contact 094 9621635.