Gardaí in Co Kildare are searching for a man who went on a rampage in Naas Hospital over the weekend causing children to cower under chairs.
The drunken man, from Co Kildare, was told to wait in the hospital waiting room. He returned at about 10.15pm on Saturday night, armed with two hammers, and smashed glass.
A Co Kildare woman, who was one of about 20 people waiting at A&E said: "We were waiting since five and it happened at about 10. There was a young child present about seven years of age who was hiding and another young girl who was injured after being playing football and they locked themselves in the bathrooms. Myself and another woman were hiding in behind the vending machines and others were just running anywhere they could get to. There was about 20 of us there in total. He didn't say anything that I could hear, there was just a lot of glass shattering all over the place. It sounded like gun shots to be honest. It lasted about two minutes but it was the longest two minutes ever"
A description of a tall man with blonde or fair hair with a 'scruffy' appearance has been given.
It is understood the man is in his thirties.
A statement from Naas General Hospital said: "Naas General Hospital can confirm that an incident of criminal damage occurred in the Emergency Department on Saturday night. This matter is being investigated by the Gardaí. The hospital regrets any distress which was caused to patients as a result of this incident."
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