Dangerous Derry Chase
PSNI officer draws gun during high-speed Derry pursuit of Mercedes, narrowly avoiding public
Key Points
PSNI said the black Mercedes 300 “is believed to have been involved in several collisions in the city over recent months,” suggesting a wider pattern beyond Saturday’s chase.
Inspector Hewat said: “It is only by sheer luck that this vehicle was not involved in a more serious collision,” emphasizing the near-miss risk to the public during the attempted stop.
News reports noted that “footage of the incident was circulated online,” indicating the pursuit and stinger/gun incident was filmed and shared publicly shortly after.
PSNI said the chase was initiated by “trained officers” specifically “to minimise the risk to both the public and the driver,” providing context for why a pursuit was attempted despite the vehicle’s deflated tyre and high-speed travel.
A PSNI officer drew his gun during a high-speed chase through Derry on Saturday after a black Mercedes 300 refused to stop, collided with another car, and swerved past a police stinger device in a residential neighbourhood. The suspect managed to escape across the Irish border into County Donegal, where the car was later found abandoned, according to U105 and Derry Now.
Inspector Hewat of the PSNI said it is "only by sheer luck that this vehicle was not involved in a more serious collision." Zero injuries were reported despite two separate near-miss incidents during the roughly 30-minute pursuit. The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has been formally notified because a firearm was drawn.
How the Buncrana Road Chase Unfolded
Officers spotted the black Mercedes 300 on Buncrana Road at around 12:30 BST. The car already had a deflated rear tyre but was still travelling at dangerous speeds. When police signalled the driver to pull over, he ignored them. The Mercedes then struck another vehicle before speeding off again, according to Newsy Today.
The pursuit moved into the Creggan area, a densely populated residential district. Trained officers deployed a stinger — a spike strip laid across the road to puncture tyres. The suspect swerved violently, narrowly missing a member of the public's car. It was at this point that an officer drew his firearm. The Mercedes still broke through and fled toward the border, Yahoo News Canada reported.
A Car Linked to Months of Dangerous Driving
This was not the first time the Mercedes attracted police attention. According to U105, the PSNI believe the car "has been involved in several collisions in the city over recent months." That history is why officers pursued the vehicle even with a deflated tyre and at high speed.
Inspector Hewat said the chase was carried out by trained officers specifically "to minimise the risk to both the public and the driver." Footage of the pursuit was circulated widely online within hours of the incident, according to Derry Now, sparking sharp debate among Derry residents.
Gun Drawn, Ombudsman Notified, Border Crossed
Under Section 55 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, the Police Ombudsman must be told any time a PSNI officer draws or fires a weapon. The PSNI confirmed notification was made. The Ombudsman's review will assess whether drawing the firearm was necessary and proportionate given the circumstances in a residential area.
The abandoned Mercedes was found just over the border in County Donegal. Two jurisdictions — Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland — are now involved. The PSNI said it is liaising with An Garda Síochána, Ireland's national police, while forensic testing of the car is underway, according to Newsy Today.
Police Appeal for Dashcam Footage to Find the Driver
The suspect has not been identified or arrested. The PSNI is appealing to anyone who witnessed the pursuit to come forward with dashcam or mobile phone footage. The cross-border escape creates a legal hurdle — PSNI officers have no power to make arrests in the Republic of Ireland, making Garda cooperation critical.
Forensic work on the recovered car — including DNA and fingerprint analysis — is ongoing. Derry Now noted the incident has reignited local debate about whether high-speed pursuits in residential areas create more danger than they prevent, with some Creggan residents expressing alarm that a gun was drawn near homes and families.
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