The events at a shopping centre in Carlow on Sunday are currently being treated as a personal tragedy.
Possible contributing factors being considered include mental health issues experienced by Evan Fitzgerald and the influence of the dark web. The potential for a significant prison sentence for serious firearms offences that the 22-year-old faced is also a consideration.
These issues are speculated to have contributed to what gardaí suspect was a suicide plan, either by his own hand or ‘suicide by cop’.
‘Suicide by cop’ refers to a situation where an individual provokes armed police to use lethal force against them.
Gardaí are analyzing Mr. Fitzgerald’s phones and online activity to find any links to extremism that may have motivated his actions.
Security sources suggest Mr. Fitzgerald had a premeditated plan, which included obtaining a firearm.
It is believed the firearm was acquired through a burglary from a house, potentially near his home in Portrushen, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow. He also either stole ammunition or possessed it independently.
Sources indicate that he chose Fairgreen Shopping Centre as the location, knowing it would be populated.
He also carried a bottle containing an unknown substance, suggesting the plan was to end his life.
“All the circumstances suggest the motivation behind his plan was suicide,” according to a source.
“Whether he intended this would be ‘suicide by cop’ or at his own hand we don’t know. But we do know that as soon as armed gardaí arrived he shot himself. It could be that was what he planned, or it could be he changed his mind.”
The source added that Mr. Fitzgerald walked through the centre and had opportunities to harm others.
He discharged his shotgun into the air multiple times.
Another source stated, “This was a personal tragedy, a suicide, a very public one. We are very fortunate it wasn’t a lot worse.”
Eyewitness accounts indicate that he did not threaten or point the gun at anyone.
Upon the arrival of uniformed gardaí, they witnessed a large crowd fleeing the centre and observed the suspect exiting. Mr. Fitzgerald then fired another shot into the air.
When plainclothes armed gardaí arrived, they identified themselves and drew their weapons. The suspect then shot himself. No garda weapons were fired.
After Mr. Fitzgerald collapsed, gardaí noticed a container or bottle containing an unknown substance beside him.
Due to the unknown nature of the substance, gardaí considered it potentially dangerous, potentially an explosive and requested assistance from the Defence Forces’ bomb squad.
The scene was declared safe and gardaí have confirmed the bottle contained an “unknown substance”. The purpose of this substance remains unclear.
One source questioned: “Was it part of the theatre of his actions, was it to make gardaí believe he had a device or explosive? Was is to get gardaí to shoot him?”
Gardaí are exploring the possibility that his actions were influenced by incidents learned from the internet.
A third source suggests that Mr. Fitzgerald’s mental health issues, combined with his online activity, including activity on the darknet, played a role.
“This is a sad case,” said a source.
The legal matter pending on Mr. Fitzgerald could well have been a factor.
He and two others were arrested in May 2024 by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
The charges relate to the possession of a G3 Heckler & Koch rifle, a Remington M1911 handgun, and ammunition.
It is alleged that Mr. Fitzgerald purchased the firearms and ammunition on the dark web using an encrypted proton email account.
The court was informed that Mr. Fitzgerald had confessed to the charges, and that the weapons were allegedly intended for shooting in the woods.
The court was also told that Mr. Fitzgerald had “a fascination” with firearms.
Despite gardaí objections, Mr. Fitzgerald and his co-accused were granted bail.
Concerns about bail laws are now being raised, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin stating that a review of maximum bail lengths should be examined after Sunday’s events.
