https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2023/1123/1418152-dublin/
A five-year-old child and a woman in her 30s are in a serious condition in hospital after they were attacked and stabbed in Dublin city centre this afternoon.
Two other young children are also in hospital with minor injuries, as is a man who is being treated for serious injuries.
The man, who is in his 40s, was arrested at the scene by gardaí before being brought to hospital.
At around 1.30pm, a group of young children were lining up outside a crèche on Parnell Square East.
A man arrived and began attacking the children with a knife.
The five-year-old girl was stabbed and seriously injured and the two other children were also attacked and suffered minor injuries.
The woman, who worked at the crèche and cared for the children, intervened and was also stabbed and seriously injured.
A number of other people also intervened and the man was restrained at the scene until gardaí and the emergency services arrived.
Medical staff rushed from the nearby Rotunda Hospital to help.
The children were removed to Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals. The woman was taken to the Mater Hospital.
Gardaí have contacted the children’s parents.
The five-year-old child and the woman are currently undergoing surgery for serious injuries.
Read more: ‘Absolute bedlam’ – Witness details city centre attack
He is currently being treated for serious injuries in the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
Gardaí are at the hospital where he is being treated.
Parnell Square East was busy at the time. A transit route for buses, the Luas and shoppers, it is also the location of the Gaelscoil Coláiste Mhuire.
The area has now been declared a crime scene and has been sealed off for a forensic examination.
Gardaí say they are following a definite line of inquiry and are not looking for anyone else at present.
They are trying to establish a motive for the attack but do not suspect any terrorist motivation and believe this is an isolated self-contained incident which is now under control.
Gardaí at Mountjoy are investigating and appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.
Parnell Street incident ‘very shocking’ – Garda Commissioner
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that gardaí are looking for no one else in relation to the incident.
Speaking at a Policing Authority meeting in Waterford, Commissioner Harris described the incident as “very shocking” and said that news is breaking around what happened.
He said: “Just in the first place, I want to reassure people that a full garda operation swung into place, both in terms of the investigation but also the identification of a suspect and I can say that we are seeking no one else in relation to this incident.
“It’s the subject obviously of a full crime investigation, both at the scene but obviously then the follow-on investigation as well.”
Mr Harris said he is not ruling any motivation for attack in or out