Man shot dead by police investigating woman's disappearance in Dublin

Man shot dead by police investigating woman's disappearance in Dublin 

A 24-year-old woman remains missing after a man was shot dead by police investigating her suspected abduction.

The Gardai said they "interacted" with the driver of a vehicle, thought to be aged 40, in south Dublin at about 8pm on Sunday.

They were searching for a missing woman who may have been abducted after reports a female pedestrian was forced into a car on the south of Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, at around 6.15pm on Saturday.

Jastine Valdez, 24, from Enniskerry but originally from the Philippines and studying in Ireland, was last seen when she left her home on Saturday afternoon.

Image:Jastine Valdez, 24, from Enniskerry, was last seen on Saturday

A Garda statement said: "Gardai investigating the disappearance of Jastine Valdez interacted with the driver of a vehicle at approximately 8pm this evening, 20 May 2018, in the Cherrywood area of Dublin.

"An official Garda firearm was discharged."

A Garda helicopter, cars, support units, and ambulances were at the scene of the shooting at the business park.

Irish broadcaster RTE said the dead man was armed with a knife and was a father-of-two from the Wicklow area.

Image:Gardai on Puck’s Castle Lane in Rathmichael, Co Dublin

A Garda statement said Ms Valdez normally regularly contacted her family using social media.

"Contact has stopped so we are very, extremely concerned for her safety. If anybody can help us to locate her we would very much appreciate it."

Gardai told RTE she was on her way home to Enniskerry when the suspected abduction happened.

"We are looking at that at the moment, trying to clarify her last movements on CCTV and taking statements from witnesses.

"We have a large investigation team working on it."

Image:RTE reported that the man who was shot was armed with a knife

Ms Valdez was reported missing by her family late on Saturday.