The Robbery
The two detectives were escorting an An Post van carrying £81,000 at 6:50 am on the morning of 7 June 1996 when Detective Garda Ben O'Sullivan noticed a Pajero heading towards them from behind. The car collided with them. Two men wearing balaclavas jumped out of the Pajero, and fired 15 rounds from an AK-47 at the detectives. Three rounds hit Jerry McCabe, killing him. His colleague, O'Sullivan was seriously injured, having been hit 11 times. One bullet strayed and lodged in the Garda patrol car, an Opel Vectra. They were fired automatically by the gunman. O’Sullivan, who was driving the car, has said that he is convinced it was deliberate, controlled shooting.
Shortly after the shooting, a Mitsubishi Lancer arrived and the would-be robbers made their getaway in it. No money had been stolen by them, but both vehicles used at the crime scene had been stolen.
The Gardaí had been armed with .38 Smith & Wesson revolvers and an Uzi, but the trial concluded that they had not had time to use them.
Bullet casings found at the scene were unique to the IRA in Ireland at the time.
Read more about this topic: Jerry McCabe