Five people including three children are injured ‘when knifeman attacks group of young people in Dublin before being overpowered’

Five people including three children were injured today when a knifeman attacked a group of young people in Dublin before being overpowered, according to reports.

Early witness accounts suggest passersby intervened when the suspected assailant attacked the group outside a school, the Irish Times said.

Irish police confirmed five people had been injured, including three young children, following the serious incident which occurred shortly after 1.30pm.

One of the children, a girl, and a woman sustained serious injuries in the incident on Parnell Square in the north inner-city of Dublin.

A man and the two other children sustained less serious injuries, the Garda said, which added it had been in contact with the parents of the injured children.

A suspect has been arrested, the Irish Independent said, adding the man – who is yet to be identified – was treated at the scene for injuries.

Irish police confirmed five people had been injured, including three young children, following the serious incident which occurred shortly after 1.30pm

Witnesses said they saw a large knife being taken from the suspect and thrown under trees opposite Rotunda Hospital, which sits in the square, according to local reports

Several people intervened and disarmed the man, The Irish Times reported. 

Witnesses said they saw a large knife being taken from the suspect and thrown under trees opposite Rotunda Hospital, which sits in the middle of the square.

‘Five casualties have been taken to various hospitals in the Dublin region,’ a Garda spokesperson said. 

‘The casualties include an adult male, an adult female and three young children.

‘One child, a girl, has sustained serious injuries, the other two children are being treated for less serious injuries.

‘An Garda Siochana is in contact with parents of all three injured children.’

Earlier, a police spokesperson said they were responding to a ‘serious incident’. 

‘An Garda Síochána are currently at the scene of a serious incident on Parnell Square East and are being assisted [by] other emergency services,’ they said.

Pictures shared online showed several ambulances and other emergency vehicles parked around Parnell Square, specifically Parnell Square East.

A number of education facilities are situated around the square.

The concentration of emergency service vehicles in the pictures from the scene appeared to be outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire, a primary school.

RTE reported that officials were still trying to determine exactly what happened and had sealed off the area. All lanes on the road have been closed.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow…