22-year-old Carlow gunman was due in court and had ‘fascination with firearms'
A man who opened fire in a Carlow shopping centre before taking his own life was due back in court this week to face 13 charges of possessing firearms and explosive material.
Evan Fitzgerald (22) was arrested last year and accused of being in possession of two guns, a magazine for an AK-47, over 130 rounds of ammo, and explosive substances.
A major security alert was sparked at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre last night after the gunman discharged a number of shots before being confronted by gardaí and suffering a self-inflicted fatal wound.
No other injuries were reported from the weapons discharge and a young girl suffered minor injuries having fallen while running from the scene.
The Army's bomb squad were called to the shopping centre and later declared the area safe while, at a private residence, investigators recovered two rounds of ammunition and a barrel containing a mix of alcohol and energetic material.
The gunman has since been identified as Evan Fitzgerald, from Portrushen Upper in Kiltegan, Rathvilly, Co Carlow, who was on bail having been charged last year as part of a garda investigation into the purchase of firearms on the dark web.
He was due in court again on Wednesday to have the book of evidence served on him in the case and had not yet entered a plea to the charges.
Mr Fitzgerald was stopped by members of the Emergency Response Unit on March 2, 2024, while travelling in a car at Ponsonby Bridge near Straffan, Co Kildare.
A semi-automatic pistol and rifle as well as ammunition were found, and he was arrested and later charged.
Evan Fitzgerald at Naas District Court last year (File photo by Steve Humphreys)
In his first court appearance gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence that Evan Fitzgerald was not involved in organised crime but that he 'has a fascination with firearms'.
He was subsequently granted bail subject to strict conditions.
Mr Fitzgerald last appeared in court this May and was due back up before Naas District Court on Wednesday, while the State prosecution service directed that he should face trial before a judge and jury.
At a previous hearing in April, gardaí gave evidence that further charges were expected against him. It was also heard that he had adhered to all bail conditions.
Mr Fitzgerald was facing a total 13 of charges, including possession of a 7.62 x 51mm NATO calibre Heckler & Koch G3 rifle and a.45 ACP calibre Remington Rand M1911A1 semi-automatic pistol at Ponsonby Bridge on March 2, 2024, along with 22 rounds of .45 ACP calibre ammunition and 20 rounds of .308 Winchester calibre ammunition.
The steel worker was also accused of possessing firearms, ammunition and explosive substances at his home address on the same date.
This included 23 rounds of various calibre rifle rounds, four rounds of pistol ammunition, ammo for a .308 Winchester and 69 various shotgun cartridges.
Forensic investigators at Fairgreen Shopping centre, Carlow (Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
Further charges related to the possession of a magazine for a 7.62 x 39mm AK-47 rifle, a magazine for a Tokarev Caliber TT-33 pistol, and a magazine for a Markarov pistol.
Mr Fitzgerald was also facing two further charges of possessing explosive substances at his Carlow home.
These were allegedly ammonium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, sulfur and magnalium explosive mixture, and a second charge related to the possession of potassium nitrate, sulfur and charcoal (black powder) explosive mixture. These substances are ingredients for gunpowder.
Further details of yesterday's incident were released at a garda press briefing today.
Assistant Commissioner for the Eastern Region, Paula Hilman, told how at 6.15pm An Garda Siochana received multiple reports of shots being fired at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre.
'Gardaí responded to the scene and met a large number of people running from the shopping centre,' she said.
'An unarmed uniformed unit arriving at the scene observed the suspect exiting the shopping centre. The suspect discharged a firearm, a shotgun, into the air. Another plain clothes armed garda unit responding drew their official firearms and identified themselves as armed gardaí. The suspect discharged the firearm again, self-inflicting a fatal wound.'
Evan Fitzgerald at Naas District Court last year (File photo by Steve Humphreys)
News in 90 seconds - June 2nd
She said gardaÍ implemented a cordon around the Fairgeen Shopping Centre and carpark, and a bottle containing an unknown substance was observed by gardaí on the deceased, which prompted a decision to call the army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from Collins Barracks, Cork who attended the scene late last night.
In a statement the Defence Forces said that two EOD teams were deployed, one at the shopping centre, and another at a private residence.
'Following an assessment by the EOD Teams, no viable device was found at Fairgreen Shopping Centre and at the private residence, two rounds of ammunition were found, along with a barrel containing a mix of alcohol and energetic material'.
A post-mortem is due to be carried out by State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers while gardaí are preparing a file for the coroner.
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