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LAST UPDATE | 2 Jun
THE MAN AT the centre of the Fairgreen Shopping Centre shooting incident in Carlow last night was on bail for serious firearms offences.
Multiple sources have told The Journal that the dead man is Evan Fitzgerald, 22, from Portrushen Upper near Kiltegan, Co Wicklow originally.
Fitzgerald was before the courts last year when he was charged with offences associated with an assault rifle he bought on the dark web.
The Heckler and Koch G3 rifle was seized along with a Remington M1911 handgun and multiple types of ammunition.
He had since been charged with possession of other guns and with ammunition possession.
He was arrested last year in Co Kildare by specialist gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, who were assisted by armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit.
He was set to hear a date for his trial, having appeared before court again last month.
Sources have said that he went to the shopping centre armed on Sunday evening at around 6.15pm and fired a number of shots.
Gardaí have confirmed he was killed by his own firearm. The firearm found in Carlow yesterday is believed by gardaí to have been legally held.
His body has now been removed from the scene and taken to the mortuary in Dublin, gardaí said in a statement this evening. A post mortem will be carried out by the State Pathologist tomorrow.
A technical examination of the car park scene has concluded. The scene remains held and the Fairgreen Shopping Centre remains closed.
Gardaí from the Emergency Response Unit were tasked with raiding the deceased’s house last night and were assisted by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) soldiers.
At the scene in Carlow, an EOD team assisted gardaí to search the man’s remains because he had a bottle shaped object strapped to his body. That examination was ongoing last night.
A garda spokesman confirmed a young girl received minor injuries in the incident after she fell while running from the scene.
“An Garda Síochána are currently at the scene, with the shopping centre and car park cordoned off. The cordon will remain in place overnight,” An Garda Síochána said last night.
“A white Irish adult male is deceased at the scene.
“The Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has been requested to attend.
“A female juvenile received treatment from paramedics following the incident but did not require hospital care. It’s undetermined at this time as to how those injuries were sustained.”
Gardaí have requested that anyone who may have recorded footage of the incident does not to share it on social media platforms or messaging apps, but instead provides it to Gardaí at Carlow Garda Station.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Carlow Garda Station at 059-9136620 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.
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