Evan Fitzgerald has been named locally as the man who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an incident at Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Co Carlow on Sunday, June 1.
Fitzgerald was from Portrushen Upper near Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, RTÉ News reported on Monday.
The 22-year-old was out on bail when the shooting incident, which Gardaí have described as "terrifying," unfolded at Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Co Carlow on Sunday evening.
According to the Irish Times, Fitzgerald was due to appear in court this week to face 13 charges relating to possession of guns, ammunition, and explosive materials.
Fitzgerald is understood to have been one of the three men who Gardaí said in March 2024 were arrested in relation to possession of firearms.
The arrests on March 4 last year came after officers attached to the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, supported by the Emergency Response Unit, intercepted a vehicle as part of investigations targeting firearm trafficking.
During the course of the search of the vehicle, one M1911 Handgun, one G3 Rifle, and 40 rounds of ammunition were seized.
The three men - then aged 19, 20, and 21 - were subsequently charged.
The Irish Times noted that when Fitzgerald appeared in court last year, gardaí initially objected to bail, though he was eventually granted bail subject to strict conditions.
The G3 Rifle seized by gardaí during an operation in Co Kildare on March 2, 2024. (An Garda Siochana)
Carlow shooting
An Garda Síochána said it responded to multiple reports of shots fired in the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow Town just after 6:15 pm on Sunday, June 1.
"Gardaí responded to the scene and met a large number of people running from the shopping Centre," Paula Hilman, Assistant Commissioner of the Garda Eastern Region, said in a statement on Monday.
"An unarmed uniform unit arriving at the scene observed the suspect exiting the shopping centre.
"The suspect discharged a firearm, a shotgun, into the air.
"Another plainclothes 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.
"No member of An Garda Síochána discharged a weapon.
"An Garda Síochána now understands that the lone male had walked through the shopping centre and had discharged the firearm, into the air, on a number of occasions.
"No person was injured by the shots discharged.
"A young girl, in the shopping centre with her parents, suffered a minor leg injury when she fell while running from the scene."
Hilman added: "A bottle containing an unknown substance was observed by Gardaí on the deceased. An Garda Síochána requested the assistance of the Irish Defence Forces EOD [Explosive Ordnance Disposal] team to examine the unknown device
"An EOD team from Collins Barracks, Cork attended the scene late last [Sunday] night. Following examination, the EOD team declared the scene safe."
Hilman confirmed that the deceased is "a white Irish national in his early 20s."
June 2, 2025: Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman speaks to the media the day after the firearms incident in Co Carlow. (RollingNews.ie)
Investigations continuing
In an update later on Monday, Gardaí in Carlow said they were continuing to investigate all circumstances surrounding the shooting incident at Fairgreen Shopping Centre.
"The body of the man has now been removed from the scene and taken to the mortuary in Dublin," Gardaí said.
"A post-mortem will be carried out by the State Pathologist tomorrow [Tuesday]."
Gardaí said the technical examination of the car park had concluded, though the scene remained held and the shopping centre remained closed.
However, Gardaí said they were in a position to begin releasing cars that were left in the car park on Sunday to their owners.
Gardaí are continuing to appeal for witnesses to this incident.
Anyone present at Fairgreen Shopping Centre between approximately 6 pm and 6:30 pm on Sunday is asked to contact the incident room 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.
Investigations are ongoing.
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