Officers deployed incapacitant spray twice and discharged an attenuating energy projectile (AEP)
12:58, 07 Apr 2026Updated 12:59, 07 Apr 2026
The Altcar Park area in Derry(Image: Google)
A man armed with an axe is reported to have deliberately drove into a house in Co Derry during an incident being treated by police as attempted murder.
Police received a report of an ongoing incident in the Altcar Park area of Derry at around 2.40am on Tuesday, April 7. On arrival at the scene, officers found “a man armed with an axe” who was “deliberately driving a vehicle into a residential property.”
The four occupants of the property were shaken by the ordeal, but are otherwise uninjured. Police discharged an attenuating energy projectile (AEP), which struck the perpetrator in the leg, to mitigate the risk to the public and the man himself.
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The man, aged 36, was arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including four counts of attempted murder.
Superintendent Claire Hamilton said: “Officers deployed incapacitant spray twice in an effort to halt the man’s violent actions; however he produced an additional knife and continued to ram the property with his vehicle.
“Extensive damage was caused to the property and a nearby vehicle. Thankfully, although they were very shaken by their terrifying ordeal, the four occupants of the property were brought to safety by officers and are otherwise uninjured.
“Following prolonged negotiations, in order to mitigate the risk to the public and the man himself, officers discharged an attenuating energy projectile (AEP) which struck the man in the leg.
“The man, aged 36, was arrested just before 4am on suspicion of multiple offences including four counts of attempted murder. He remains in custody at this time.“
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