Brazilian Deliveroo driver used helmet to intervene in stabbing at Dublin school
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A Deliveroo driver has spoken about the moment when he intervened to stop the man who had attacked three children and a woman in Dublin City Centre on Thursday afternoon.
A five-year-old girl remains in hospital after undergoing emergency treatment for serious injuries.
The woman was also seriously injured while the two other children, a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, suffered less serious injuries.
Caio Benicio, who is originally from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, said he was working "a normal day" and was passing by Parnell Place when he saw the incident.
"At first I thought it was a fight with a man and a woman. A normal fight like, you know, and I slowed down my motorcycle to see more closely what's happening," Mr Benico told RTÉ News.
He said he saw a woman who was "pulling the girl" to get her away from the man.
"And she was very, very brave, you know, because you could get the girl from the man, and the little girl run away and the man he grabbed another one."
Mr Benicio, who is a father of two, said it was then that he noticed that the man had a knife.
"So when I saw the knife, I just pull up, I just brake my bike and pull up my motorcycle. I saw him stab the little girl," he said.
Mr Benicio said it was then that he decided to take off his helmet and "use it as a weapon" and hit the man in the head with "all the power" he had.
"And it was everything by instinct. I remember, I took off my helmet, to protect myself and use it as a weapon, he said.
"Just hit him in the head with all power I have. And he fell down. And I hit him and then come other people and start to kick him, you know," he said.
Mr Benicio said he then made a statement to the gardaí about what he saw.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the attack on the three children as “a horrifying act of violence”, while praising the efforts of those who intervened to stop the attacker.
“Yesterday afternoon, innocent children were attacked outside the Scoil Colaiste Muire in Dublin City centre. It was a horrifying act of violence and our thoughts are with the injured children, their heroic care assistant who threw herself in harms way to protect them and all those who risked their lives to save lives,” Mr Varadkar said.
“They’re real Irish heroes, whatever their nationality."
Tánaiste Micheal Martin praised Mr Benicio saying his part “should not be forgotten” and said he may have saved other children from attack.
“We had a horrific, violent attack on children and adults, we think of them, and we think of the Deliveroo person who came along to save the situation, perhaps for other children,” he said.