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THE GARDA WATCHDOG has said its investigation into a shooting at a shopping mall in Carlow has found no wrongdoing by gardaí who responded to the incident.

On 1 June 2025 Evan Fitzgerald discharged a number of shots inside the Fairgreen Shopping Centre. While gardaí responded, he took his own life by suicide.

The Journal learned at the time that a barrel of flammable liquid was found at Fitzgerald’s home and the firearm he used during the shooting was not his own but was legally held by someone else. 

Fitzgerald, 22, from Portrushen Upper near Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, had been charged a year previously, along with two other men, in connection over allegedly attempting to source weapons online.

Fiosrú, the Garda Ombudsman, had launched an investigation into Fitzgerald’s death following a referral from An Garda Síochána.

This is a mandatory referral under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act, when someone dies or is seriously injured while in contact with gardaí.

Fiosrú said in a statement that the investigation was “to establish whether an act or omission of a garda or gardaí may have resulted in a person’s death or serious harm”.

“By law, the scope of Fiosrú’s investigation related exclusively to events at the shopping centre on 1 June 2025 and potential acts or omissions by gardaí who responded to the incident.

“Fiosrú’s investigation found no criminal offence or disciplinary breach by gardaí who responded to 999 calls at Fairgreen Shopping Centre on 1 June 2025. Fiosrú’s independent investigation into this matter is now closed,” the statement said.

Fiosrú said its investigators have been in contact with the Fitzgerald family and gardaí who responded to the incident.

“The inquest into Evan Fitzgerald’s death is yet to take place. In order to preserve the integrity of those proceedings, Fiosrú will make no further comment at this time,” the statement concluded.

At the time of his death, Fitzgerald’s case, in relation to charges associated with an assault rifle he bought on the dark web, was before the courts.

The Heckler and Koch G3 rifle was seized along with a Remington M1911 handgun and multiple types of ammunition in March 2024.

Fitzgerald had since been charged with possession of other guns and with ammunition possession.

He was arrested in 2024 in Co Kildare by specialist gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, who were assisted by armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit.

It has emerged since that the garda arrest operation may have involved undercover gardaí carrying out a controlled delivery. Before Fitzgerald’s arrest in 2024, gardaí had launched an undercover operation.

Questions have been raised about the legitimacy of that operation and whether it was bad practice.

Independent Senator Michael McDowell and Labour TD Alan Kelly raised concerns about the techniques deployed by gardaí in the case in the Seanad and in the Dáil.

McDowell, who is a former attorney general and minister for justice, had raised concerns about the ethics of the controlled delivery.

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