He was an Irish police detective working for the Garda Síochána. He was attached to Dundalk Garda Station in Co Louth, and was fatally shot in Bellurgan, Co Louth (near Jenkinstown) by an armed gang of five people during a robbery on a credit union. He was the first garda to be shot dead in the line of duty since 1996, and was afforded a full state funeral.