Sergeant who shot dog cleared of wrong doing

A then garda sergeant who was involved in a confrontation in which a dog was allegedly shot dead near Granard has been cleared of any wrongdoing and is set to be promoted to the rank of inspector in the coming weeks.

The officer was cleared after an investigation by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman (GSOC) according to reports in the Herald today.
A 29-year-old man allegedly suffered minor injuries to his lower leg in the incident when a bullet from the officer's gun ricocheted.
The sergeant had been notified of promotion to the rank of inspector just weeks before the incident took place. He is expected to be officially promoted to his new role in the coming weeks but has yet to be allocated a station.
"He has been cleared of any wrongdoing and can now get on with the rest of his career," a senior source told the Herald.
"It has been a very stressful time for the officer and his family but he now has no case to answer from GSOC.
"There was huge publicity and threats against him at the time but now he hopes to move on."
GSOC have refused to comment on the case.
Gardaí also investigated whether any criminal offence had happened during the incident but no evidence of a criminal offence was ever found in their investigation.
The shooting incident, which happened on the evening of December 3 last near Granard, Co Longford, was referred to the garda watchdog on the night of the incident.
Video footage captured on a mobile phone posted on social media following the incident went viral. That footage was examined as part of the investigation.
The exchange between four people - a truck driver, a Garda and a couple with a dog - was shared tens of thousands of times across multiple social media platforms.

The video commenced at an apparent stand-off between the couple and the other two. The phone recording appeared to be made by the female, who the Celt understood was heavily pregnant at the time.
The male then says to the Garda “that’s my wife,” before continuing, “I have a woman who in four weeks is ready go to hospital.”
“In three weeks time, I’ve f**ing three weeks to go to hospital... and you want to put your f**king gun away as well,” the woman shouts at the Garda.
The officer is trying to keep the male away from the driver of the flat bed truck. He tells the man “back off,” but the man continues to attempt to get to the man in the cab of the truck.
As the camera only shows part of the scene, it’s difficult to follow the interactions.
Someone can be heard to shout “watch out!” before you can see the officer looking down as his tie is being pulled by something out of the frame. 
No dog can be seen or heard in the footage, though it’s understood that it is the dog pulling the Garda by the tie as the situation escalates.
The Garda says: “I’ll put a bullet in his head,” before raising his gun. Then says “get him to let go of me” before he appears to shoot at the dog.
“Aagh me foot!” the man says.
The female then shrieks: “Ahhh you shot him. You’re after shooting me husband. Oh my God, oh my God...”
When the camera pans to a man’s feet showing blood near the heel of his trainer before the video ends.

At the time a Garda statement was issued: ‘As part of an ongoing investigation, gardaí from Longford attended at an incident in Granard on December 3, 2018. During the course of this incident, an official Garda firearm was discharged. As this incident has been referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, An Garda Síochána are not in a position to comment further.’

Speaking to The Anglo-Celt at the time, Sgt Brian Wheelan of the Garda Press Office explained the procedure: “There will be an investigation by ourselves and GSOC. The firearm will be seized for forensic examination. The scene where the incident took place will be examined.