THE GARDA WATCHDOG has said its investigation into a shooting at a shopping mall in Carlow has found no wrongdoing by garda\u00ed who responded to the incident.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On 1 June 2025 Evan Fitzgerald discharged a number of shots inside the Fairgreen Shopping Centre. While garda\u00ed responded, he took his own life by suicide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Journal learned at the time that a barrel of flammable liquid<\/a> was found at Fitzgerald\u2019s home and the firearm he used during the shooting was not his own but was legally held by someone else.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fitzgerald, 22, from Portrushen Upper near Kiltegan, Co Wicklow<\/a>, had been charged a year previously, along with two other men, in connection over allegedly attempting to source weapons online.<\/p>\n Fiosr\u00fa, the Garda Ombudsman, had launched an investigation into Fitzgerald\u2019s death following a referral from An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na.<\/p>\n This is a mandatory referral under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act, when someone dies or is seriously injured while in contact with garda\u00ed.<\/p>\n Fiosr\u00fa said in a statement that the investigation was \u201cto establish whether an act or omission of a garda or garda\u00ed may have resulted in a person\u2019s death or serious harm\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cBy law, the scope of Fiosr\u00fa\u2019s investigation related exclusively to events at the shopping centre on 1 June 2025 and potential acts or omissions by garda\u00ed who responded to the incident.<\/p>\n \u201cFiosr\u00fa\u2019s investigation found no criminal offence or disciplinary breach by garda\u00ed who responded to 999 calls at Fairgreen Shopping Centre on 1 June 2025. Fiosr\u00fa\u2019s independent investigation into this matter is now closed,\u201d the statement said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fiosr\u00fa said its investigators have been in contact with the Fitzgerald family and garda\u00ed who responded to the incident.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe inquest into Evan Fitzgerald\u2019s death is yet to take place. In order to preserve the integrity of those proceedings, Fiosr\u00fa will make no further comment at this time,\u201d the statement concluded.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Dark web<\/p>\n At the time of his death, Fitzgerald\u2019s case, in relation to charges associated with an assault rifle he bought on the dark web, was before the courts.<\/p>\n The Heckler and Koch G3 rifle was seized along with a Remington M1911 handgun and multiple types of ammunition in March 2024.<\/p>\n Fitzgerald had since been charged with possession of other guns and with ammunition possession.<\/p>\n He was arrested in 2024 in Co Kildare by specialist garda\u00ed from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, who were assisted by armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit.<\/p>\n It has emerged since that the garda arrest operation may have involved undercover garda\u00ed carrying out a controlled delivery<\/a>. Before Fitzgerald\u2019s arrest in 2024, garda\u00ed had launched an undercover operation.<\/p>\n Questions have been raised about the legitimacy of that operation and whether it was bad practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n Independent Senator Michael McDowell and Labour TD Alan Kelly raised concerns about the techniques deployed by garda\u00ed in the case in the Seanad and in the D\u00e1il.<\/p>\n